After The Fall
by The Last Ronin
Summary: Set after "Opal". The world changed in the five years Katy spent imprisoned: destroyed by the wrath of a man who vowed to save her, a man who never did, a man she can't remember. Haunted by memories of her time in Daedalus' grasp, can Katy come to terms with the person she has become and reclaim what's left of her old life, or will she be consumed by the darkness within her?
1. Out of Darkness

Not overly sure where this is going, if anywhere, but I'm gonna play around with this a bit. That and, hey! First Lux Novel fanfic posted! Set after "Opal".

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

Noise...somewhere.

Can't see. Can't move.

How long...?

The pain...Oh God! Why? I remember the pain...but now...nothing. Blissful nothing. They wanted...something. I didn't...couldn't?...give it to them. There was a reason...I'm sure.

They haven't come lately. Maybe they gave up? Gave up and left me here to die? Oh, I hope they did. I just want to...I just want to die.

Please.

Why can't I just die?

**x-x-x-x-x**

Noises again...talking? Words?

I shiver, an exhausting effort. They must be back with their pain. Why won't they let me die? I can't give them what they want.

"This it?" the words reach my ears and the voice tugs at some memory. I know this voice? Maybe...I think so, but I don't...I can't...

"It has to be," a second voice reaches my ears and I know this one too...or at least, I think I do, "this is the only one we haven't checked."

"What if..."

"Don't say it," a third voice, less familiar than the other two, "he's alive, so she must be as well."

"No one's seen him in..."

"He's alive," those two words...so sure. Who is alive though? Me? Am I a 'he'?

"Let's just get this door open already. It's unlocked. Help me pull."

A horrible shrieking and squealing fills my head, followed by a breeze of stagnant, musty air. I shiver again. They're here.

"There's someone in there," a muffled coughing echoes off the walls, "and look, lights. Those backup generators aren't a joke to still be running after three years."

Footsteps and then a gasp from close by.

"Oh my God...is that...what did they do to her? There's nothing left..."

"Katy? Is that you? Can you hear us?"

Katy? Is that my name? It feels so familiar. Maybe it is me. Slowly I lift my chin, trying to find the source of the voices in the darkness. A bare fraction of an inch is all I manage after a long struggle before gravity drags my head back down.

"Help me get her down. Carefully, she looks like she'll break in a heartbeat."

Break? Me? No, I'm already...a faint pressure I hadn't even been aware of slowly lifts from my body and for a moment I'm weightless. And then I'm falling...falling...falling. When am I going to hit? But I don't.

Another dull pressure begins to slide along my head and I jerk against...whatever holds me...as a dull light attacks my starved eyes.

"Katy?"

Slowly I open my eyes a sliver, letting them adjust. I blink rapidly, but the image remains fuzzy. Three women fill my newly regained vision and another flash of recognition runs through me. I know them...I think.

"Katy?" one of them...which one?...says again and I try to focus on her. Dark...black?...hair. Green eyes...Wetness trickles down my face as something inside me twists painfully.

Darkness reclaims me but those eyes remain, burned into the back of my lids.


	2. Into Ruin

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

The only noises I hear when I open my eyes are the chirping of birds and the rustling of my breath as my chest rises and falls. Those are two sounds I haven't heard in...how long has it been? And more importantly, where am I now?

My eyes roam the area, handling the pre-dawn light fairly well compared to the last time I opened them. Next to me lay several still, blanket wrapped bodies and the smoldering remains of a small fire. Beyond that is a small lake lapping at the lightly sanded shore.

Slowly I sit up, a blanket of my own slipping off me as I stare at the water. I know this place...I'm certain I've been here before. Closing my eyes I take a deep breath through my nose, trying to draw forth the memory floating just beyond my reach. A minute or two passes before the flickering of an image appears in my head: a young couple curled together on a blanket. My cheeks heat as I realize that the pair are decidedly missing their clothing. Something's not right though, I feel it in my gut; did this happen like this?

I shake my head, trying to make sense of this odd feeling. Something is wro...a gasp explodes from my throat and my eyes fly open, my cheeks burning even hotter. For a second the image had changed and I was on the blanket, kissing the man and being thoroughly kissed in return.

Reaching up I touch my lips and a shiver runs through me, settling as a dull heat deep in my stomach. I can still taste that man, feel him everywhere he was touching me. I'm certain I must be as red as the dress that had been tossed to one corner of the couple's blanket. Dear God...was that...could that have been...is that really my memory?

"Oh my God!" a voice to my right shrieks and I try to jerk away before a pair of arms encircle me in a tight hug, "I'm so glad you're awake! I was so worried!"

I stiffen at the contact, every cell of my body screaming to run. Without even thinking the Source fills me, electricity arcing into whoever holds me and I tear free of their grasp. In the blink of an eye I'm crouching on a small protrusion of rocks in the center of the lake, watching the small camp site.

"Katy?" the woman who embraced me stands and even from here I can hear the hurt in her voice.

Katy? Is that my name? It sounds familiar but I can't...I can't remember. At the sound of the woman's voice the two other bodies begin to stir and my body tenses for another attack.

The first to rise is a blonde woman who looks like she just stepped off the cover of a Cosmo magazine, despite the fact that she's dressed in little more than rags. For a moment jealousy burns through me. How in the hell can she look so good waking up?

Last up is a dark haired woman who yawns and stretches before scratching at hair with a serious case of bed-head. Although she doesn't appear so now, once she cleans herself up I'm almost certain she'll be able to give Blondie a run for her money in the looks department.

I drop my eyes to the water and jump as I find some...creature looking back at me. A gasp escapes my lips and the...woman I guess...mirrors my surprise. Is that me? Eyes of indeterminate color stare back at me from where they're sunk into a face that looks more like a skull. Pale skin is stretched tightly over the bone, framed by short, greasy hair that hangs in limp clumps. Slowly my eyes travel down the reflection of my nude body and the breath catches in my throat as I take in the emaciated skeleton, devoid of any real indication that I'm female save the lack of baggage between my legs.

I look back up at the three women on the opposite shore. How can they even stand to look at me like this? The darker haired woman - the one who embraced me - moves as if to approach but Bed-head stops her with a hand on her arm.

You're scaring her," she says quietly, though I can still hear her just fine, "let me talk to her first."

The darker haired woman is obviously hurt by this but she nods, biting her bottom lip. Bed-head takes a step forward and lifts her arms in the universal "I'm unarmed" gesture.

"Katy, we're not going to hurt you. I just want to talk," she smiles brightly and my whole body twitches, "may I come out there?"

I don't think I know her but she seems like she knows me and, despite myself, I nod. Why did I do that? The damage is done though and I brace myself for her to blink out here like I did - how do I even know she can do that? - but instead she strips to her skin, wades into the water and starts swimming.

"Wow that's cold!" she grimaces as she hauls herself onto the rocks a few feet from me. Wringing out her hair she shivers and I can't help but stare enviously at her glistening curves; she can probably knock the boys over with a look.

"Don't worry," she reaches out to touch my boney knee but I pull back, "a couple weeks of proper meals will have you looking like your old self again."

I look back up at her and inch away. How did she know what I was thinking?

I open my mouth to speak but no sound comes out. For a minute I struggle to produce any sort of noise but nothing changes. My voice is gone. With a sigh I blink over to the shore opposite the other two women and stare at Bed-head until she slips back into the water to join me.

"Who are you?" I write in the wet sand once she steps from the water.

"You don't know me?" she looks at me puzzled but I just shake my head, "Huh...well, I guess we didn't know each other that well before...Anyway, my name is Beth."

I try to say her name but my voice still doesn't want to cooperate and I sigh again.

"We're sorta like sisters I suppose," she says after a minute of me trying to get my voice to work and I raise an eyebrow at her - what does she mean "sorta"?-, "my husband's older brother is your husband after all."

Wait. What?!

"Husband?!" I draw rapidly and underline the word several times. She needs to explain that!

"You really don't remember?" disbelief colors her voice and I just underline the word again. She takes a deep breath and starts to explain. I nod every so often. Luxen, Humans, Hybrids, yeah, yeah I got all that. Now what does she mean by freaking "husband"?!

"You and I are hybrids and to the Luxen the creation of a hybrid is akin to a marriage ceremony. So when I say our 'husbands' I mean the Luxen who mutated us."

Oh! Ok. She had me worried there for a second. Spotty memory not withstanding, I'm certain I would remember something as important as getting married.

My mind drifts back to the dream or memory or whatever I had a little while ago. If that's really a memory of mine could it be that that man is my 'husband', as Beth puts it? There's no way for me to be sure. The woman in that vision looked completely different from me - although that could just be because she's healthy and I clearly am not. I suppose she could be me from better times but for all I know that image was just an erotic daydream and not a memory at all.

"Why don't we go back to the others," Beth suggests with a shiver, "it's warmer by the fire and we need to start getting food back into you. Plus you look like you could use a bath...its been a while I imagine."

I watch her for a minute but she doesn't make any move to touch me. Oh what the Hell. She seems friendly enough and what's the worst that can happen? They try to kill me? Heck, with the way I look right now death could actually be an improvement.

"Ok," I write in the sand and motion for her to lead the way.


	3. Late For the Apocalypse

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

I have to agree with Beth. It _is_ warmer by the fire – I hadn't even realized how cold I was until the heat from the flames began to seep into me. Of course, the fact that I hadn't had a stitch of clothing on certainly sped up that realization too.

A shiver runs through me and I clutch my blanket tighter around my body with one hand while simultaneously watching the three women and stuffing my face with the bread they gave me. And what bread it is! A slew of different flavors and textures mingle and dance within my mouth, electrifying my taste buds. I can't remember the last time I even ate food and the party that's currently taking place on my tongue makes me want to sing.

The thought of singing conjures up an image of a pair of long socks with little reindeer printed on them and a smile tugs at my lips though I don't know why. I enjoy the feelings of happiness and excitement the image stirs within me for a few minutes before reality comes crashing back in. I can't sing if my voice doesn't work. And even if I could sing, I don't have a pair of reindeer socks. Honestly, I'm not overly sure which of those facts bothers me more right now. Those look like some awesome socks.

My smile fades as my eyes return to the woman who hugged me earlier. She's watching me and fidgeting as if she's trying to decide whether to attack me again or not. I scoot a bit further from her and try not to stare. She's really creeping me out but I'm not sure if that's because of her mannerisms or her eyes.

Her eyes themselves aren't creepy – they're beautiful actually. What's creepy about them though is that they're the exact same eyes as the man in my earlier daydream had. Perhaps that hadn't been a real memory but rather my subconscious trying to tell me something. Seeing her eyes I can't help but wonder if maybe that whole dream was telling me that she and I were once together.

I don't think that's right though. I mean, I don't feel like I'm a lesbian. In truth, as beautiful as this woman is, I don't feel any sort of attraction for her. Plus there's the whole thing with Beth saying I'm married…sorta. Having a husband, as she put it, does seem to indicate that there was a man in my life at some point; whoever he may have been.

Oh I don't know what's going on or what that daydream meant. I was hoping my memories would start to return if I had food in my belly but so far I've gone through four loaves of this fantastic bread and nothing. Nada. Zilch.

"How are you feeling?" Beth asks from across the fire, one hand firmly clamped onto the darker haired woman's arm. I really should ask her name. Blondie's too.

I shrug in response and pop another chunk of bread in my mouth, savoring the flavor as I chew slowly. This whole not being able to talk thing is really starting to bug me. There's a lot I want to ask about but with Green Eyes over there looking ready to pounce I don't dare get any closer to write my questions in the sand.

They continue to watch me while I eat and for a second my vision distorts and I picture them wearing white lab coats and holding clipboards in their hands. My skin tingles and I shiver as cold sweat glues the old shirt they'd given me to my back. The mouthful of bread I'd been chewing becomes a rock as I swallow and I inch away from them.

"Katy?" Beth leans forward a bit, "Are you ok?"

No! I shake my head and scramble to my feet. No I won't let them take me again! Turning I stumble a step before clutching as much of the Source as I can. Behind me all three woman begin to approach but I don't let them get any closer. They'll never take me again! I surge forward and the world vanishes around me.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I'd always thought the Great Pyramids would be bigger. You know, more ancient ruiny and less piles of rubbly. But that's what they look like: really big piles of rubble. Almost as if a giant with a hammer went all smash happy on them. Very odd. I wonder what happened.

I step forward, the pyramids fading to be replaced by a really big stone wall. Sweet, China! I should find me some take out! But did the Great Wall always have such massive holes in it? I didn't realize huge sections of it had collapsed. You would think something like that would have made headlines.

I take another step and freeze as I examine my new location. Something is seriously wrong. It's quiet – my steps echo off the buildings as I walk down the street. Cars are everywhere but they all appear to be empty. Where is everyone? Am I even in the right city?

Blinking to the top of the tallest building I see I shield my eyes from the glare of the sun and turn in a slow circle.

There it is. I've never seen the Statue of Liberty before but it's not something I'd mistake for anything else. At least I'm where I intended to be. But I don't know if that makes me feel better or not. I could have sworn New York was sometimes called "the city that never sleeps" but this…

This city isn't just asleep. It's dead.


	4. Dreaming of You

I'm bumping up the rating of this story for slight language usage and mature content. It's nothing graphic but I figured I'd put this out there just to be safe. I'd still call this PG-13 myself but some might say that the language makes it closer to R.

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

The sun had started to set before I finally gave up my investigation…or at least, it's started to set here. Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, LA, Houston, Boston, Rio, London, Berlin, Madrid, Sydney, Moscow, Tokyo along with dozens of others. I searched them all without seeing a single person; plenty of animals, but no people. Maybe I missed the Rapture or something.

I chuckle to myself at that thought and munch on a few pieces of fruit that I'd liberated from a number of trees. As much as I'm willing to believe in Divine powers after all I've seen I doubt what I'm seeing now has anything to do with scripture or prophecy. People are always left behind in those stories and I haven't seen anyone other than Beth and her two friends.

Perhaps I should go back to them and see if they can tell me what happened. My flight was irrational, I know that, but I hadn't been able to stop myself; my body had simply reacted. But they're not the same people who treated me like a lab rate. They're not the people who experimented on me, tortured me or…

A shudder runs through my body and I hug myself. Those are memories I really don't want to relive. None of my memories of my captivity are particularly delightful but those ones are especially brutal. I feel dirty just thinking about them.

Of course, I am actually filthy. I haven't bathed in…Hell, I've no idea how long it's been. Years I suppose. My captors hadn't seen the need for proper hygiene. They simply waited till I had started to smell and then hosed me off with a fire hose. But it's even been a long time since that last happened.

Now that I'm thinking about it, a bath sounds heavenly right now. I haven't seen any electricity in any of the places I visited, but maybe I can find a hot spring somewhere. A hot spring and some soap. I give myself an experimental sniff and gasp at how badly I reek. Make that a lot of soap.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I sigh as I sink into the warm water. Holy Hell does this feel good! Finding a hot spring along with the personal care products I wanted hadn't been too difficult. There were a lot of fully stocked stores in every city and no one was around to mind my thievery so I'd been able to make out like, well, a bandit. No, the real task had been removing the layers of grime from my skin and hair.

It had taken a solid several hours of vigorous scrubbing to get myself to the point of feeling like a human being again. Ridding myself of all that filth also served to reveal that I don't look nearly as bad as when I first saw my reflection. I still look horrible, but already I'm putting on a bit of weight from all the food I've been stuffing myself with as I traveled. My bones are slightly less visible and my skin has a much healthier look to it. Heck, I even have the suggestion of breasts again.

Now if only my voice would return and my fragmented memory would reassemble itself everything would be great.

Bits and pieces have started to come back: my first name, what I looked like before I was imprisoned, my favorite color; superficial stuff really, nothing concrete that tells me who I am. With those bits and pieces, though, has come a dull ache in my chest. Maybe ache isn't as accurate as a feeling of being hollow – like I'm missing something beyond my memories. I'll be damned if I know what that something is though.

I sigh again as the water relaxes me one degree at a time. Letting my eyes drift close a smile tugs at my lips. Surely this here is Heaven.

**x-x-x-x-x**

Green eyes greet me as I enter the dream again – or maybe it's a new dream entirely – and I can't help but stare. Strong arms wrap around me, pulling me closer to their owner. My own arms are wrapped around his neck as I straddle his lap, my legs gripping his waist. A groan falls from my lips from the pleasant sense of fullness that sweeps through me as we slowly rock back and forth, his eyes never leaving mine.

I can't make out his face, save his eyes and a pair of lips that silently beg for my kiss. For a moment I'm able to resist their siren call before I cave and lower my mouth to his, my eyes fluttering closed. It's a lazy kiss; one that seems to say that we have all the time in the world and starts a slow burn deep inside my belly.

Our rocking speeds up a hair and he pulls me closer, my soft curves molding themselves perfectly to his hard planes. I tighten my grip on him, urging him to pick up the pace. I can feel a glorious tension building within me and yet I know that I'm so close to something infinitely better.

He breaks off the kiss and our breath mingles in ragged gasps as his eyes seek mine.

"Katy," he manages to whisper as the world explodes around me and light claims my vision.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Holy shit!" I rasp around a mouthful of water as my eyes fly open. For a long moment I'm too lost in the most mind blowing dream-induced orgasm I've ever felt to even begin to register the shock of my voice returning. It takes several minutes for my body to stop shaking, my heart to slow down and my breathing to return to normal. Even then I sit in a blissful daze, revealing in the feeling of my body having just come completely unhinged.

"Holy fucking shit," I breathe, my voice sounding scratchy and weak from lack of use.

I gaze up at the stars, my heart rate picking up again as I replay that dream over in my head, committing it to memory; I never want to forget that. But dear God! If sex is that good with this mystery guy of mine in a dream…my cheeks burn in a way that has nothing to do with the water temperature and I groan.

I need to find this guy – there's no doubt at all in my mind that he exists – because I really want to know if he's that good in the flesh.

With another groan I close my eyes again, hoping that maybe my dream lover might be up for another round.


	5. Hunger Pangs

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

I realize something is wrong even before I open my eyes and I grumble at the intrusion. The first real decent sleep I've had in years and someone decides to bother me. Typical. All I want to do is close my eyes and go back to sleep; just a few more hours isn't too much to ask right? But my spidey sense is tingling and with a sigh I pull myself out of the hot water.

My nipples harden and gooseflesh pebbles my skin as the night air embraces me. The chill may not help my looks – I look like a prune – but it's invigorating and I feel absolutely amazing. Between my long, relaxing soak and that fantastic dream sex I feel like little more than a bag of pudding. In fact, if I were to ooze into the ground at this very moment I wouldn't be surprised at all – nor would I actually care.

The thought of surrendering to that feeling is so tempting but common sense tells me that it's not a great idea; at least not until I know who my guest is.

With another small sigh I accept that I probably won't be sleeping much for the foreseeable future and set about toweling off and dressing. The clothes are new, having been liberated from an abandoned store, and feel good against my clean skin. It's been so long since I've worn anything other than my birthday suit though and for a second, despite how good it feels, I feel overdressed, constricted. I quickly shake those feelings off and run a brush through my short hair; the teeth massaging my scalp nearly making me melt as my toes curl.

Wow I forgot how good that feels.

Good or not though, it's time to find out who my stalker is.

Whoever they are seems to be very good at hiding and I can't see them as I look around. Not that I can see much of anything anyway.

"Come on out! I know you're there!" I try to yell but the strength of my voice hasn't returned enough for me to produce much volume. I sigh again and kick at a small stone before blinking on up to the top of a nearby building.

I stumble as my feet hit the roof and grab at the air, searching for something to steady myself. My hands come up empty though and my legs dump me to the ground.

For several minutes I sit there, my stomach growling angrily as my vision swims.

What in the hell was that?

Slowly I push myself to my feet and look around as the world steadies itself but I can't see much of anything with the clouds hiding the night sky.

Again my stomach growls at me and I groan. Maybe I'm just hungry. I don't know how long I was asleep so it's probably been a while since last I ate. Well that settles it! I'll just have to figure out who my mystery guest is later – I know they're still here – but for now I need food.

**x-x-x-x-x**

A loud belch slips from my mouth as I toss my fork into the pot I used to heat my meal. Despite myself I giggle, a bit drunk with contentment. The giggle quickly turns to a groan though as my full stomach shifts uncomfortably inside me, stuffed with all the food I ate.

Scattered around my small fire are the remains of my feast: a multitude of cans, now devoid of their contents.

And what a feast it was!

I sigh around another burp and push myself to my feet, swaying slightly.

I wonder if it's possible to get drunk from eating too much? Well, maybe not drunk exactly but food intoxication? Oh whatever. I'm too full to think straight right now.

Slowly, so that I don't pitch over, I bend down and begin stuffing the trash into a garbage bag. I'll have to figure out what to do with it all later, but for now at least my little camp won't look like a complete pig sty.

As I stand to stretch a shiver runs through me and I stiffen. That feeling is back again, stronger than it was before and my eyes sweep the darkness, looking for whoever is watching me. For a second a shadow seems to move unnaturally but when I blink it's gone.

"Who's there?" I ask the emptiness and hug myself against a sudden chill in the air.

"What isss it?" A sibilant voice reaches my ears and I whirl towards the source but only find darkness.

"Don't know," a second, similar voice answers and I turn towards it but again find nothing.

"Sssmellsss deliciousss," comes a third.

A murmur of agreement fills the air, surrounding me and I shiver as a cold sweat washes over me. The shadows begin to writhe and I step back, closer to my fire as they begin to take form. Dozens of them step forward; both male and female, of all shapes, sizes and ages. Every one of them, however, share one thing in common; they all have eyes as black as obsidian.

Arum.

"Letsss eat it," one of them suggest as they push closer.

"No," I growl and, without even thinking about it, the Source floods into me. A few of their eyes widen in surprise but they press forward anyway.

I feel a bit off as I tense, waiting for them to spring. Although I'm still holding quite a bit of the Source, it's not nearly as much as I've been using the last few days: not enough for me to move at the speed of light at least. I reach for more but can't seem to find any and panic starts to seep through me. I have to get away!

An image – a memory? – flashes before my eyes as one of the Arum reaches for me. A healthier me, naked, chained to a cold table made of onyx. The stone doesn't even burn me anymore from how much it's been used on me though it still saps my strength and blocks all access to the Source.

Across the room a door slides open with a hiss and darkness floods into the room. Arum. They solidify into human forms, all male, all naked as I. Matching grins on their faces, they advance.

A vice grabs one of my wrists, snapping me out of my vision and my eyes widen as I see the Arum holding me, eyes alight with anticipation.

For a merciful second my mind goes completely blank and the clouds vanish from the sky.

"Nooo!" I shriek and tear the Arum from my arm as light blinds my eyes and a roar fills my ears.


	6. Mirror Image

Wow, longest chapter so far! Getting up to my usual word count per chapter now lol.

Anyway, sorry for the delay on getting this up. I've been busy re-reading Obsidian, Onyx and Opal. Wasn't going to read Shadows again but I think I will because I'm fairly certain I'm going to be doing a few chapters from Beth's POV.

With that in mind though, I've finally figured out where this little fic is going so consider the exploratory phase over. Assuming I don't get lost in another book (which is entirely possible due to my favorite toy ever: my Kindle) I should start to update a bit faster, so stay tuned!

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

I sigh as my dream lover trails kisses from my collar bone, up my neck and along my jaw before ending on my lips. For a long time we don't move save my hands tangling in his hair, his hands stroking my back and our tongues exploring each other's mouths.

I'm straddling his lap again, enjoying the feeling of fullness as he remains still inside me. Apparently we're not very imaginative when it comes to sex – not that I'm complaining really; I like what we're doing very much. As if reading my mind, he chuckles.

"How do you want it my little Kitten?" he whispers against my lips and a shudder races through me.

For a second my mind goes blank before it bombards me with various ideas and my face heats. Where in the world did I even come up with those?

"You're a very greedy Kitten aren't you?" he smirks and kisses me as his hands slide down my body to cup my ass. In one smooth motion he gets to his feet, effortlessly supporting me. I wrap my legs around him as he presses me up against a wall and slowly begins to rock in and out of me.

I groan and shiver, my mouth descending on his once more as his weight keeps me trapped in this delicious manner. It's not until he breaks the kiss, sometime later, to switch positions that I realize I still can't see his entire face.

I kiss him again anyway, silencing the growing irritation at not knowing who he is. He won't hurt me, that's all that matters. Wrapping myself around him I pull him closer, unwilling to let go. Without any hesitation on his part he pulls me closer still and we lose ourselves in each other once again.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Katy?" A voice that seems far away drifts into my ears followed by a slight pressure on my arm, "Katy wake up."

That voice, it sounds so familiar. But who does it…? My eyes fly open as the pressure on my arm spreads as if someone is trying to grab me. With a shriek I pull away and scramble backwards until my back hits an obstruction, halting my flight.

I need to get away! I need to…I can't…never again! I'll die before…I'll end myself first before…

"Katy! Relax! Please. We're not going to hurt you!" A second voice, also familiar, breaks into my thoughts and I focus on its source.

"Beth?" I rasp quietly, taking a deep breath and willing my racing heart to slow, "Beth?"

Her face lights up as I say her name. That light fades only slight when she reaches for me and I flinch away.

"You had us worried," she says quietly and motions towards her four companions, "you look better though."

I look down at myself to find my clothing shredded. The scraps barely cover my body…which seems to be much more filled out than I remember. Looking back up the blood drains from my face as I notice that two of my onlookers are male and I press myself tighter against whatever is behind me, my arms trying to shield myself from their gazes.

With a curse the blonde woman, who was with Beth before, smacks her equally blonde friend's head and then drags him away as he starts to protest. The other man has taken a few steps away and respectfully turned around, though he doesn't seem to be leaving.

"Dee has a change of clothes for you," Beth points to the dark haired woman who attacked me before, "she promises to behave this time."

Beth dusts her pants off as she stands and turns to grab the dark haired man's hand. He visibly relaxes at her touch and eagerly follows as she heads off.

"We're just going to be over there," she waves towards the side of a building, "take however long you need."

She leans in to whisper something to Dee that I can't hear and then hurries off in the direction she indicated.

"Are you ok?" Dee asks quietly, setting a bundle of clothing down in front of me before backing away, "you had us really worried."

I eye her for a minute, making sure she's not about to spring, before I turn my attention to the clothes. They look familiar actually…like I've seen them before. Oh well, at least they seem like they might fit at least.

Quickly I shed the rags hanging from me and slip into my new attire. Dee isn't able to hide her gasp as she sees the scars that cover me and for a moment it looks like she may attack me after all. The Source coils tightly inside me, letting me know it's ready to get me out of here if need be.

"Where are the Arum?" I ask as the others return and I tense to run.

"Arum?" The two blondes ask in unison and look around, clearly nervous.

"There were dozens of them…" I start and look around myself for the first time. Where am I? This isn't my little camp. "They attacked me…I must have blacked out."

"It was already light out when we got here," says the dark haired man, "no Arum in sight. Are you sure they were here?"

I nod, my eyes turning to examine him and my mouth popping open in the same instant. His eyes are exactly the same as the man I keep dreaming about. Does that mean that…could he be my dream lover? My gaze falls to his hand, tightly entwined with Beth's and I shake myself out of my daze. I don't think it's him, but those eyes are just…

"Do I know you?" I ask him, interrupting some sentence I hadn't been paying attention to.

"Do you?" he asks quietly and I realize that his voice is different from the man in my dreams. Even so, there's this nagging feeling that I do know him.

"I think so," my voice rattles and I inch away from the pressure of the other's gazes, "All of you look familiar actually. But…"

"Oh! Of course! Names!" Beth finishes my thought for me.

"Oh come on," the blonde man snorts, "do you honestly think that we believe you don't know us?"

Both Beth and Dee shoot him a glare that promises murder if he doesn't shut up and I narrow my eyes, electricity crackling along my body. I don't know who he is, but I don't like him already.

Before any of us can say anything though, the blonde woman smacks him in the back of his head; hard. He stumbles forward but doesn't fall and turns to glare at her. She glares right back, her eyes burning with a white light. For a minute they're locked in a staring contest before he breaks contact and stalks away, grumbling to himself. Her eyes revert to a brilliant blue as he leaves, his presence already forgotten.

"Anyway," Beth turns back to me and I relax a hair, "We've been introduced and you know Dee already. And this is Ash," she motions to the blonde woman who nods, "And this is Dee's older brother and my husband, Dawson."

Beth grabs the man with eyes identical to my dream lover's hand and tugs him closer. For a second I stare, a pang of jealousy and…lose? zinging through me as they smile at one another. Even with my scattered memory I can see the absolute devotion in their eyes. These two would do anything for each other. An unexpected lump forms in my throat and I look away. Why does looking at them make me feel so…sad?

"Oh," Beth says, tearing herself away from Dawson's gaze, "Jerkface is Ash's younger brother Andrew."

"He's adopted…really," Ash shakes her head and grimaces. Beth, Dee and Dawson all stare at her and I get the sense that somewhere pigs have begun to sprout wings and fly.

"What?" she snaps, "I'm not that much of a bitch."

Dee starts to laugh and gives Ash a playful pat on the head, "Of course you're not."

Ash scowls at her but says nothing and, despite myself, a smile tugs at my lips. For a few minutes everyone is quiet and I look around. A slight wind kicks up, blowing my hair across my face and I brush it back. I really don't know where I am. And what happened to the Arum? And why have I gained weight so quickly? Or did I simply black out and turn into a zombie for several days? I shudder as I think of myself roaming around like a robot and eating anything that moves.

Looking back up I find Ash watching me, biting her bottom lip. Her cheeks color as she realizes I've caught her and she looks away. What the Hell was that?

"How did you find me?" I break the silence and turn to Beth.

"Last night we felt a massive surge of energy," Dawson answers instead, "It wasn't hard to track you after that."

Last night? I don't remember…unless he's talking about that flash before I blacked out but…I look back down at myself. How did I gain nearly thirty pounds in a night? I mean, I have honest-to-God boobs again! Those weren't there when the Arum attacked me.

I shake my head and then brush my hair from my face. I don't know what's going on.

"Ok, how about this then," I start, "Can you tell me where everyone is? I mean, I've been around the world and you're the only people I've seen. What happened?"

The four of them look at one another. Their faces all have expressions that seem to say that they're debating how to tell me that someone ran over my puppy with their car. Not that I ever had a puppy…I think.

"What? What is it? What happened?" I ask again as the silence stretches on. Beth and Dawson shrug simultaneously and Dee looks away. Ash actually looks guilty?

"There's no real good way to say this," Beth starts but doesn't continue.

"Daemon happened," Ash says at last, her voice little more than a whisper, and I look at her.

"Who?"


	7. Broken Things

Wow…two updates in almost as many days! Go me! Not as long as the last chapter but I had a lot of fun writing this one so I hope you enjoy it!

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

The four of them stare at me like I just told them I was a fan of book burning. Now that I think of it though, I really need to find me some reading material; it's been way too long since I've devoured a good book. And Holy Hell! My blog! I cringe slightly as I begin to imagine the state it's in. Although, I suppose the whole lack of electricity thing makes that a moot point.

A full minute passes before I even realize what I had been thinking about and an idiotic grin spreads across my face. If not for my audience I'm fairly certain I'd be doing a happy dance right now. This is a very good thing after all: some of my memory has come back.

"Katy?" Dee waves to get my attention, "Are you ok?"

"I'm great!" I laugh, or rather, laugh as best my ravaged throat can manage, and I'm fairly certain I've started bouncing. I look down at my feet. Yup. Bouncing.

"I'm going to slap her," Dee looks at the others and I narrow my eyes at her, my giddiness evaporating, "I mean, that's what you do to someone who has gone crazy right?"

It takes me a second to hear the worry in her voice. Still, I slide backwards on the balls of my feet, the Source crackling through me. Beth nods as if considering the idea and Dawson simply shrugs. Ash's eyes are glued to me, however, her face twisted in what's either embarrassment or a non-verbal apology. I'm not sure which. Maybe it's both?

"That's probably not a good idea," the blonde woman places a hand on Dee's shoulder to restrain her and I relax ever so slightly, the Source calming within me.

"But she's clearly lost it!" Insists Dee and I can't help but stare as she stamps her foot. Did that just happen? I thought only characters in movies or books did that. Apparently I was wrong.

"Um…why have I lost it?" I ask, a little annoyed that I'm being talked about like I'm not here…and the fact that I don't know what the "it" is that they think I've lost. They can't be talking about my appetite; I certainly haven't lost that – I'm starving.

Ok, this can wait. Time to see where I am and figure out breakfast. I slide around the four of them and head off to explore the seemingly abandoned buildings. There has to be a grocery store or something around here someplace.

"Hey! Wait Katy! Where are you going?" Beth calls after me.

"Food," I reply, not waiting to see if they heard me and not really caring either. Now that I've noticed it my stomach is loath to release my attention.

The Source fills me once more, propelling me forward in erratic, jerky bursts. Moving like this I make short work of the streets. No. No. No. Jackpot. I dig in my feet, ignoring the furrows they rip into the blacktop, and skid to a halt in front of a small Mom and Pops type store. These places always have plenty of canned foods and I rub my hands in anticipation of my imminent feast, a big smile pulling at my lips. Oh! Maybe they'll have Twinkies! I haven't had any of those in forever!

Wondering what sort of food I'm in for I reach for the door and a hand shoots out, grabbing my wrist. The blood in my face drains and my eyes widen as they follow the attached arm on up to find Jerkface…Andrew's face a scant couple of inches from my own.

"Hey! Where are you going?" He demands, "They've been calling you!"

A flicker of surprise is the only indication that he's noticed anything as the Source floods every cell, every atom, of my body, cloaking me in a red tinged light. The ground drops from beneath my feet as if a giant fist punched it and windows shatter all around us.

Andrew lets go of me a split second before the Source within me explodes. He flies through the air and crashes into the side of a building, where he hangs, suspended by my will. Vaguely I realize that he probably wasn't trying to hurt me and that killing him isn't a good idea but I shove that thought aside. I won't take the chance that I'm wrong.

Wind, light and electricity whip around me like live wires as I advance on him. His human form flickers and then vanishes altogether, leaving behind a helpless, screaming, Luxen and I grind him further into the wall. I shouldn't drag this out. I should just kill him and be done with it, but something stays my hand. Somewhere inside me a small voice is screaming at me to stop.

It takes me a moment to recognize who the voice belongs to: me, Katy. The old Katy rather, the weak Katy. The one who allowed Daedalus to capture her, torture her, experiment on her. The one who let them…

I kick her aside. I don't need her. She was too weak, her very existence a joke. I, however, am not weak. I would have never been used like she was. But she won't go away – she just continues to scream at me. No wonder her voice has all but been destroyed. Tuning her out I return my attention to the Luxen...I think he passed out. Oh well. Time to end him.

"Katy stop!"

I turn to face the voice and find Beth standing a few dozen feet away, another Luxen – probably Dawson –, hovering protectively next to her. A few steps behind them stands a still human Dee, a look of horror on her face.

Ignoring them I turn back to Andrew and nearly shriek as someone streaks between the two of us. The shriek turns into a mental gasp as my eyes take in the figure before me: a female Luxen, her beautiful light tinged with gold.

_Please Katy_, her voice enters my mind, _he's my brother, the only family I have left. I know he can be a dick but I promise he's not going to hurt you. So please, let him go._

_No!_ I scream back at her, _You don't know what they've done! What he could do! I won't let him! Never again!_

_Katy, please! You have my word he won't harm you_, Ash pleads with me, _If he tries anything I'll kill him myself. I won't let him hurt you._

Her words are like a mental caress, smoothing away my anger and I shiver. I want to snarl at her and blast her into orbit but her words have had the intended effect and I manage to wrestle homicidal Katy out of the driver's seat. I peel Andrew off the wall and slowly lower both of us to the ground. The Source slips away and I hug myself. A second later the female Luxen's feet hit the ground as well and her human guise slips back into place.

Biting her bottom lip, Ash quickly checks her brother, her shoulders slumping, as she realizes he's alive and largely unharmed, the tension draining from her.

"Are you ok?" she asks me quietly as the others approach.

Dawson is human again but I can see he's a breath away from shifting into his true form and diving in front of Beth if I go off again. His wife, on the other hand, is watching me closely, a look of horror and pity on her face. A weight settles in my stomach as I realize that she may have just figured out what…

Dee's eyes dart from Andrew's prone form to Ash, to me and back again. Her expression would be almost comical if I couldn't all but see the big ole 'WTF' stamped on her forehead. Clearly she hasn't figured out my secret yet.

"I'm sorry," I rasp, my voice even sorer than it was earlier, "I just…I mean he…no one can…I can't…I won't…never again…I…no…never."

I stop. Even I realize that my rambling is taking on a hysterical edge. Besides, I can't tell them anyway. No one can ever know.

Tears well up in my eyes but I fight them off. I'm not going to cry over what happened. It's done, over, in the past and crying won't change anything. Crying won't fix anything…some things can't ever be fixed.

Ice cream would help though. To bad there's no way there's any that's frozen because right now I'd like to crawl into a few gallons of the stuff and never come back out. Stomach growling I turn back towards the Mom and Pops and freeze.

A single tear trickles down my cheek as I stare at the demolished building, followed quickly by another and then another. A light breeze picks up and a nearly shredded Twinkie wrapper brushes against my leg before drifting off down the trashed street. I sink to my knees, unable to stop my tears now. Crying won't fix anything, I know that, had just gotten done reminding myself of that. But nothing really works right inside me anymore and I can't stop these useless tears.

I'm just like this store: broken beyond repair.


	8. The Long Way Home

Yes I realize everyone is wondering what happened to Daemon and when we're going to see him again. Only thing I can promise is that yes we will find out…eventually.

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

The house is just the way I remember it: my books strewn everywhere, dishes piled in the sink, clothes piled next to the washing machine. Even the small cracks in the plaster of my room's ceiling bring back waves of nostalgia.

In some ways it's like I never left. But in others…in others it's clear that I haven't lived here in nearly half a decade. I would never have allowed the dishes or clothes to pile up like that. Nor would I have left food and coffee splattered on the floor. No, those things are one hundred percent my mom.

But, like me, she hasn't lived here in a long time.

Both Beth and Dee have assured me that my mom is still alive and well, living in the nearby Luxen community with Matthew. I'm fairly certain that I'm missing something there but I'm not sure I really want to know either. I mean, my mom and my high school Bio teacher? I suppose I should just be grateful that she isn't seeing my gynecologist; that would just be creepy.

Weirdness aside, at least Matthew is a huge step up from her last boyfriend. I hadn't really liked Will in the first place, never mind when I discovered he and my mom were sleeping together. Of course, his kidnapping, subsequent torture and then later attempt to kill me hadn't exactly warmed me to him either.

Several times my friends have offered to take me to see my mom but I can't yet. I'm not ready. If I see her now I'll just disappoint her because there's a small part of me that just knows that she wants the daughter she lost back. As much as I'd like to think otherwise, I'm not that big a fool to think that I'm that girl anymore. Like it or not, the Katy my mom knew is dead.

And I can't bear being the one to tell her that; that the daughter she has been waiting for all these years is never coming home.

It had been Dee's idea to come back here though. She thought that if I were in familiar surroundings, if I were home, my memory would return. That was part of the reason she had given me some of my old clothes to wear in the first place. I have to hand it to the girl too, she knew what she was talking about.

From the moment we arrived back in Petersburg, large pieces of my memory have been resurfacing much quicker. But there are still huge chunks unaccounted for; entire periods of time that are just blank, conversations that have words missing and make no sense at all. It's as if something has been erased from my life.

Or someone.

Whatever it is I can't remember, it must be something important because, despite how much is familiar here and how much I recognize this place, this house doesn't really feel like home. And that's weird because I know it should – it is – but there's just something…off about it.

"What are you thinking about?" Ash's quiet voice drifts over my shoulder and I only stiffen slightly. The blonde woman has been my constant shadow in the week since I attacked Andrew and I've more or less gotten used to her presence. She told me she's making sure her brother leaves me alone but I'm starting to think she has another reason for wanting to be around. Not that I have any idea what that other reason might be.

"I'm thinking that this place is a mess," I shake my head and grimace.

Ash slides by me, our shoulders brushing, her hip bumping mine. She has been doing that the past few days: brushing up against me. But the contact is so swift, so brief, almost accidental, and she hasn't said anything about it so I haven't either. Oddly enough, I haven't really minded them; they're innocent enough and don't trigger my oversensitive fight or flight response so I'm not really worried. A tiny part of me even likes it.

"Yeah," she wrinkles her nose and laughs, "it kinda is."

I reach into the sink and grab a plate to see how bad it is and another comes with it. I waste a minute trying to pry the two apart without success and Ash laughs again. With a growl I toss the two back down.

"Well I'm going to write those off as a loss," I grumble.

"Here, let me try," Ash reaches for the two plates and her arm grazes mine, a spark of electricity passing between us. A look of concentration appears on her face as her hand lights up with heat. She holds her hand over the two plates and after a minute the two slide apart to reveal…"Oh God that's disgusting."

I laugh as she drops the now separated plates back into the sink. Ash grimaces and eyes her hands with distaste. I don't blame her either. After touching those plates I feel like something is growing on me too.

"Ok, new plan. We don't actually touch any of this stuff," she suggests and I nod my agreement, none too eager to get anywhere near those filthy things again.

"Hmm…any ideas?"

"A few," Ash grins, "and I do love a good challenge. Let's see what we can do."

I laugh as we turn to tackle the mess. I love a good challenge too.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Ugh! I need a bath," Ash groans, plopping down onto the sofa, "how in the name of all the stars in the heavens could your mother live like this?"

"I second that motion," I join her on the opposite side, "and I've no idea how she managed it. Maybe that explains the whole Matthew thing?"

Ash shrugs and leans her head back, eyes closed. It had taken us most of the day and quite a bit of creativity but we had managed to restore my house to a state where it looks like someone might live here. No electricity had made the whole process interesting indeed, but we managed. Having super powers didn't hurt either.

I wish I knew why she was doing all this though. My memory has returned enough that I know we were never really friends before…But now she's acting like we're long-lost sisters or something. It's all very strange really.

"So why are you doing all this?" I ask at last and motion around us when she looks at me, "I mean, I know you pretty much hated me before. So why the one-eighty?"

Her face goes crimson and she doesn't answer for several minutes while she inspects her fingernails.

"I never hated you," she says quietly, biting her bottom lip, "not really, though I know I had a horrible way of showing it."

"That still doesn't answer my question," I point out. She didn't hate me? I think she had everyone fooled if that's really true.

"I can't tell you," she says and then hurries on when she sees my annoyed look, "I'm not trying to blow you off or anything either. It's just that, my answer won't make much sense until your memory fully returns. Can you accept that for now?"

I nod after a minute. It's not like I can force the issue. She'll tell me when she's ready and not a moment sooner. I'll just have to wait until then.

"You will tell me eventually though, right?"

"I promise," she nods, a blush spreading across her cheeks, and hops off the couch, "now lets get ourselves cleaned up. I don't know about you but I feel like a mess."

"Should we ask if Dee and Beth want to join us?" I wonder aloud, "I found some awesome hot springs during my travels."

"Sounds like fun to me," Ash grins, "we can raid a liquor store too and make it a party!"

I laugh again. I've been doing that a lot lately, whenever I'm around her. Laughing is something I never thought I would do again after…But it feels good. I missed it.

I just wish I knew what else it is I'm missing.


	9. Arum Hunter

Hey everyone, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, I've been fairly pre-occupied with a couple of friends of mine who have been in the hospital. Both are doing well, however, although one of them is still there and will probably be so for a week or so yet.

Thus, thinking of my friend still in the hospital – who happens to be an author right here on ffnet – , I give you this public service announcement: Please don't drink and drive. Have a designated driver, call someone to pick you up or just toss your keys into the trunk and sleep it off.

Ok enough of that. Some of you may have noticed that I changed the description of this little fic. What I had originally was the idea that gave birth to this story but as I've been writing, the story itself has taken a considerably different path. Thus I've changed to description to better illustrate what that path is.

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"Would someone please tell me why we've never visited Hawaii before?" Dee asks with a sigh as she lounges next to the water, "This is absolutely Divine."

"Arum, insane government out to get us, lack of money…" Beth ticks her list off on her fingers, "am I missing anything?"

Ash looks at me and we shrug at the same time. A grin pulls at my lips and she laughs. Although I have a sneaky suspicion that Ash has actually been to Hawaii before, she's not saying anything. Dee and Beth though are clearly in love and I can't blame them after living in West Virginia. Me on the other hand…well Hawaii really isn't much different than Florida; maybe a bit hotter. Not that I'm complaining, it's still a lot of fun.

"Can we live here forever? Dee suggests and I'm actually inclined to second that notion, but there's no Beta Quartz here to hide us from Arum, "the guys wouldn't say no and it would only take us a day…maybe less."

Both Ash and I burst into laughter and a moment later Beth joins us. Dee isn't fooling me, let alone anyone else.

"Oh please," Beth splashes a little water at the ebony haired Luxen, "you just want to parade around in your bikini in front of Andrew."

"As if you're not thinking about the same thing with my brother!" Dee fires back, "In fact if he were here right now I bet the two of you would be off somewhere making out!"

Beth laughs and splashes Dee again, "Please, if Dawson were here we wouldn't just be 'making out'," she grins suggestively and the blood drains from Dee's face.

"Oh God stop! I don't need that imagery in my head!" she shrieks.

I shake my head and sink back into the warm water, ignoring the two as they continue to bicker. It's getting late in the day and the sun is well on its way down the sky. Soon it'll be time to leave. We don't want to run into any Arum at night after all. I suppose we could just follow the sun west but both Dee and Beth want to get back to their guys.

"We're the odd ones out aren't we," I try to smile at Ash but I don't know if I succeed.

"What do you mean?" she asks and pokes my leg with a perfectly manicured toe. I smile for real now and poke her back.

"They've got someone in their lives and we don't," I clarify.

She sighs and looks off a the setting sun, "That's not true."

"Hmm?" I tug at my swimsuit where it's digging into my shoulder, debating on just taking it off. We're all girls here after all.

"You have Daemon…even if he's not here," she laughs but there's no humor in it.

"I really wish you guys would stop saying that," I grumble, giving up on the suit…I probably should have gotten a slightly bigger one, "I don't even know who he is."

"Katy…" she starts but I wave her off.

"I know, I know. Beth told me who he is but I don't know _who_ he is," I sigh, not sure I'm even making any sense, "there's just nothing there. I don't remember anything about him."

That's not really true though. Based on the description Beth gave me – he looks like Dawson – I'm fairly certain that Daemon is the star of my dreams most nights and if that's true part of me clearly remembers more than I'm consciously aware of.

Awake I still can't bear letting anyone touch me, save Ash and even she's limited in what I can deal with. But asleep and with him…well, we're definitely doing a hell of a lot more than just touching and it doesn't bother me. In fact it feels good, great even. More importantly though, I feel safe and that does bother me. Of course, maybe that's just because, as real as they seem, I'm fully aware that they're just dreams. No one can hurt me in a dream.

Movement wakes me from my thoughts and I glance up in time to see Ash stand and stretch. Water runs off her flawless figure in tiny rivulets that sparkle in the fading sunlight and I can't help but stare. Really, there must be some law against looking that good.

"What?" She asks, watching me as she wrings out her hair.

I open my mouth to answer but no sound comes out, my mouth suddenly dry and so I just stare like an idiot.

"What?" She asks again, a blush coloring her cheeks as she crosses her arms over her chest, one hand dropping down to cover her lower body.

"Nothing," I say quickly, snapping out of my stupor and I lick my lips, "my mind just wandered off. Sorry."

"Oh," her blush fades and she starts fidgeting with the bottom of her bikini, "well we should get going."

Beth is already drying off and Dee is pulling on her shirt and shorts. The two girls are still going at it and I can't help but smile a bit. A part of me wishes I had a friend I could talk to like that.

"Katy?" Ash's voice breaks into my thoughts again and I shake my head to clear them. It's time to leave. I really need to stop drifting off.

"Sorry, I'm here," I smile at the blonde woman.

She nods, biting her bottom lip and slowly offers me her hand. I eye it for a moment before reaching for it. For a second I hesitate and then her fingers twine with mine and she pulls me to my feet.

A shudder runs through me and I gasp quietly as I find my face inches from hers, the space between us practically non-existent as her breasts brush mine. Electricity dances across my skin where it touches hers and I find myself unable to look away from her lips. They look so soft – totally kissable – and it would be so easy to find out. Just a few inches and…

"Katy," she breathes, her breath tickling my face and I breathe in deeply, nearly melting as the scent of roses fills my head.

"Hey are you two coming?" Dee yells, breaking whatever spell we'd been under and we jerk apart. She quickly drops my hand and I'm fairly certain my face is as red as hers is.

"Yeah we're coming!" Ash replies and I can't really tell if her voice is a bit shaky or if it's just my imagination.

**x-x-x-x-x**

A violent shiver runs up my spine and I freeze. Besides me Ash is still, her eyes narrowed as she scans our surroundings; she feels it too. Briefly her hand reaches over to squeeze mine and our eyes meet, the normal sapphire color of hers replaced by white light.

"What is it?" Dee asks, watching us as she fidgets nervously. Beth reaches over to place a reassuring hand on the other girl's shoulder but she has a puzzled look on her face.

"Arum," I say quietly and jump at the snarl my voice turns the word into.

_We're going to be ok_, Ash's voice douses my mind like a wave of cool water and I relax a few degrees.

"I know," I breathe though I can feel my eyes starting to glow. They're close.

Beth gasps and spins to watch the shadows. It looks like she's noticed them too. A moment later Dee's back goes ramrod straight as she senses the Arum as well.

"Can we run?" she whispers but both Ash and I shake our heads, the Source crackling through us both. The other two girls haven't realized it yet but we're surrounded.

"We'll be fine," Ash assures the younger Luxen, both their forms beginning to blur. Dee's arms have even begun to fade away entirely as her eyes dart around.

"Are we close enough to Boulder for Dawson and Andrew to sense them?" Beth asks, her own eyes luminous. We'd left the guys in Colorado as a compromise to them letting us go off on our own but we're still a good distance away yet.

"No," Ash answers after a minute considering and for a second her human guise drops entirely, electricity sparking around her.

I reach over and rest my hand on her arm, shivering at the sparks that shoot through me. Her human form flickers back into place though and she gives me a tense smile.

Around us the darkness begins to writhe. Great, another pack. As several dozen Arum begin to take shape the Source cloaks me in light and a grin tugs at my lips. This is gonna be fun.

**x-x-x-x-x**

Oh God this is bad. There must be thirty Arum here at least, though I can't really tell as they shift in and out of the shadows.

I grasp Dee's shoulder tightly and shift myself in front of her even as her human form fades. Her light quivers and her head swivels from side to side but she makes no move to put herself in front of me though I know she wants to. A hybrid I may be, but as Dawson was the one who mutated me I'm stronger than his little sister.

Electricity crackles between the four of us and I glance over at Katy. She's already shrouded in red tinged light, her entire body coiled and on a hair trigger. I shake my head but don't call on my own light just yet. Such a blatant display of power is far too draining without our husbands to draw upon, even if she is much stronger than I am. Still, it's odd. Ever since we found her she's been like a freaking Energizer Bunny…on crack. Where in the world is she getting all this power from?

I don't see what it is that sets her off but she explodes forward and crashes into the Arum, Ash a split second behind her. For an instant I twitch forward, wanting to help but I remind myself that it's my job to protect Dee. Both Dawson and Andrew would be heart-broken if anything were to happen to her, never mind that I don't want my best friend to get hurt.

Ash flows through the Arum, her blades of light like hot knives slicing through butter. In the space of a heart beat several Arum explode and disintegrate. Before the pieces even vanish the female Luxen has already moved on to a new set of opponents.

One of the shadows leaps at me and then explodes as it plows face first into light grenades simultaneously launched by Dee and myself. My friend looks at me, her human face flickering back long enough for me to see a grimace on her lips. Even after all this time she still doesn't like having to kill.

A horrifying shriek drags my eyes back to the fight in time to see Katy rip an Arum apart. Dee gasps beside me, back in her human form, a hand over her mouth as she watches her former friend tear another Arum in half. Katy's light fades for a second and I gasp myself as I see her face. There was no mistaking the absolute glee radiating from her eyes.

"Katy," Dee calls and takes a step forward but I pull her back, "Katy!"

Katy's light cloaks her once more as half a dozen tentacles spring from her. They fly forward like heat seeking missiles and each impale an Arum through the chest. The creatures of darkness clutch at the intruding appendages, writhing and howling as they try to get free. Their strength swiftly bleeds away though and their forms begin to blur and shrink in on themselves. As they vanish, the remaining Arum flee. Ash takes out a few more while Katy's tentacles impale another set. These too quickly vanish and we're alone once again.

I stare at the woman who is for all purposes my sister and try to say something but my mouth refuses to work. Besides me Dee stares open mouthed. Katy's light glows even brighter than before and as it fades all I can do is stare. She's put on some more weight – weight she didn't have five minutes ago – and for the first time since we found her she looks like the girl I first met years ago. Her eyes are luminous with energy and elation and I can still feel the Source crackling through her.

Ash slowly approaches her, her human form back in place, her features stretched with worry.

"Katy?" The blonde woman asks quietly and reaches out to place her fingers on the other woman's arm.

Katy turns towards her, a silly grin on her face as her entire body sways dangerously.

"Hi," she says breathlessly as her eyes droop and her legs give out. Ash's arms shoot out to catch her even as Dee darts over to do the same.

For a moment I tense, waiting for the inevitable explosion but it doesn't come and a few quiet snores explain why. Katy has left the building, assuming that that was who was home in the first place.


	10. Reunion

Hello everyone, I return! I apologize for the long wait for this chapter but it has been a rough couple of weeks. The friend of mine who was still in the hospital ended up passing away about two weeks ago now and I think a few of us who knew her have spent much of the time since at the bottom of various bottles – myself included, I'm not proud to admit.

But life must go on and she would be pissed if I used her death as an excuse to not update any longer so here we go. This one's for you Liv.

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"Are you ok Kitten?" My dream lover asks, his forehead scrunched with worry.

"I'm fine," I say and reach over to smooth out the wrinkles, as my words do nothing to alleviate his concern.

"Katy…" he presses and pulls me into his lap.

My toes trail in the water of our small lake and I sigh as his lips capture mine.

"Talk to me," he urges once we come up for air…though I suppose we don't really need to, considering this is a dream.

I don't answer immediately. Instead I snuggle closer to him, enjoying the feeling of his strong arms around me. A large part of me doesn't ever want to leave this spot but there's also a growing part of me that wants another, different, set of arms around me too.

"I'm confused," I admit at last, watching the wind blowing through the trees on the far shore. The breeze brushes a few strands of hair across my face, tickling my nose. Before I can move, my lover reaches up to tuck the strands back behind my ear.

"What are you confused about?" he asks quietly, his fingers stroking my cheek absently.

"Everything."

"You're going to have to give me a bit more than that Kitten," he chuckles and gives me a small squeeze.

"Mostly you," I say after a moment, "I know you're important to me but beyond that, nothing. It's like someone cut you out of my life, like there's a big hole where you're supposed to be."

He stiffens behind me, his hand stilling against my skin. A minute passes before I feel his shoulders sag.

"I suppose I deserve that," his breath warms my ear and I sigh, "after what I did…"

His breath hitches and for a second it sounds like he's crying. I twist in his arms to look at him, unable to contemplate the idea of this person shedding tears; something about it just feels wrong. Sure enough, tears shine in his eyes though they haven't started falling just yet.

"I'm so sorry Katy." He whispers, "I promised I would get you out of that place and I never did."

Despite myself I shiver as images from my time spent imprisoned flood my mind: people in lab coats injecting me with various chemicals while others wearing suits fired question after question at me. There had been one question they asked constantly; one they wanted the answer to above all else, but I couldn't answer it. They didn't believe me though. They said there was no way I couldn't know the answer.

Always they asked who mutated me.

But I don't know.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"When are you going to bring her to us?" Ethan demands, his irritation beginning to seep through his normal calm demeanor.

Around us the Elders murmur their agreement. They too are beginning to lose patience.

"It's too dangerous right now. She's still too unstable," I shoot a sympathetic look at Mrs. Schwartz. She cringes at my words and Matthew squeezes her hand in reassurance.

"We'll be the ones to decide that." Ethan interjects, "Your job was to find and deliver her here."

"You don't understand," I persist, growing irritated myself with the stubborn Luxen.

"That's enough!" He snaps, "We need some way to bring Daemon Black to heel. The hybrid he created is that way. Now bring her to us!"

I sigh, a scream beginning to build up inside me at his unwillingness to listen. He has no idea what he's dealing with. Not for the first time I find myself wondering if it was prudent to come to the Luxen for help finding Daemon. Their stubbornness and outright derision when it comes to us hybrids is enough to make me want to just flip them all off and never come back. But we can't, not so long as Katy's mother and Matthew are here; they're family.

Beside me Dawson slips a hand inside my shirt to rub my back. Slowly my anger begins to drain away as I lean into his touch. I hate having to do this but between my husband and I, I'm the one able to maintain some semblance of civility when dealing with the Elders. Dawson would have told Ethan to go fuck himself long ago.

"If we do this," Dawson says quietly, though I can hear the barely restrained anger in his voice, "there are a few rules you need to follow."

Ethan raises an eyebrow in a manner that tells me exactly what he thinks of that idea and I jump in before my husband explodes.

"You cannot, for any reason, touch her." I say, "She is very twitchy about it. Andrew made the mistake of grabbing her arm a couple weeks ago. She hammered him into a wall, nearly killed him, and took out half a city block before Ash managed to convince her that Andrew hadn't been trying to hurt her. So absolutely no physical contact."

Ethan snorts and several chuckles drift from the other Elders.

"You have an active imagination _hybrid_," he practically spits the word, "but you must think us fools if you wish us to believe a mere hybrid could injure a Luxen in such a way."

Dawson snarls and I grasp his hand tightly before he can attack the older Luxen.

"Very well Ethan," my husband says quietly, calming slightly as he turns us to leave, "ignore my wife and we'll see who the real fool is."

**x-x-x-x-x**

Voices from downstairs wake me from my sleep and I crack my eyes open. Where in the…downstairs?

The Arum!

I bolt upright, instantly awake as I scan the small room – my room, I realize. Daylight filters in through the window though, and I don't feel the chill in the air that I associate with Arum being close by. What happened? I remember them surrounding us and then…nothing until my dream. Did I get hurt?

Carefully I slide from my bed and begin taking inventory. Two eyes, two ears, one nose, two arms, two legs, ten fingers and toes. Everything seems to be here and in working order, though someone stripped me down to my underwear while I slept. I wonder if it was…my cheeks heat at that thought and I quickly squash it.

With a shake of my head I throw open my closet and begin looking around for something to wear before heading into my bathroom to wash up the best I can. I really need to look into getting a generator hooked up so I can take a hot shower again.

The voices don't quiet as I descend the stairs and a delicious smell reaches my nose. Bacon? My mouth begins to water in response and my stomach grumbles hungrily. I can't remember the last time I had bacon.

"I can't believe that you don't like blueberry pancakes," Dee's voice radiates disbelief, "they're like, the best thing ever besides bacon and ice cream."

A dramatic sigh fills the air as Dee mentions her favorite food. I can't say I blame her either. I could really go for a few pints myself. Maybe we should look into finding a way to make some? I add that to my growing 'To Do' list.

"I didn't say I don't like blueberry pancakes," Ash answers, "I just said that I prefer chocolate chip."

A smile tugs at my lips as I step into the kitchen. Ash turns as I enter, a couple of plates piled high with pancakes floating besides her, a huge smile on her face.

"I'm with Ash on this one," I grin back at her, "blueberry are good but there's just something about having chocolate for breakfast that's so…"

"Naughty?" The blonde woman suggests and then laughs in triumph as one of the plates drifts over to me.

Dee's face scrunches up in disgust and she scowls, "Breakfast is supposed to be healthy."

"Dark chocolate is healthy," Ash points out as she offers me a fork and a bottle of maple syrup.

I could kiss her.

For a second I weigh the pros and cons of that idea but in the end I just decide to dig in. Maybe later, and certainly not in front of Dee and Andrew. Definitely not while I'm distracted by food either.

"You made these?" I ask Ash around my fourth or fifth mouthful, my resolve to not kiss her weakening with every delicious bite.

She nods as she licks bacon grease off her fingers. Dee snorts in response and Andrew laughs, tossing a balled up napkin at his sister.

"What?" She scowls at them, her face turning red.

"Liar," her brother laughs and nearly starts choking on what looks to be an entire pancake, "if Dee hadn't intervened we'd all be eating hot garbage right now."

"Andrew!" She growls, her eyes going white, "My cooking is not that bad!"

"Ash," he snorts, "I'm a better cook than you…and that's saying something."

"He's terrible," Dee mouths silently to me, her eyes wide in mock horror.

If possible, my friend's face turns even redder and her form begins to blur a bit. Crap I need to stop this. Before she explodes, and my house gets half destroyed for the dozenth or so time, I reach over and grab her hand.

Silence descends on the room as Ash's human guise slams back into place and three sets of eyes shift towards me.

"What?" I ask, relieved that the imminent destruction of my home has been averted – for now at least. I should post a sign or something: 'No Alien brawls inside.'

Slowly Andrew reaches towards my hand and I narrow my eyes at him as they start to glow

"Andrew, don't" Ash glares at her little brother and pulls our joined hands away from him.

"Oh now that's just not fair," he grumbles, "I barely touch her and she goes psycho on me. You sit there fucking her with your eyes and she doesn't bat an eyelash."

Again the room goes silent and now my face is as red as Ash's had been and – I hazard a glance at her – is again. She has not been…

Dee's eyes dart back and forth between us, her face scrunching up in confusion. The wheels are clearly turning in her head and there's almost an audible click as her gaze settles on my hand entwined with Ash's. Her eyes widen as her mouth pops open and Ash and I quickly pull away from each other.

**x-x-x-x-x**

Tension hangs over the room like smog as Dawson and I walk in. On one side of the counter stand Katy and Ash, glaring at Andrew and Dee on the other. Oh God, what happened now?

"Beth, was I supposed to get a babysitter for the kids?" My husband wonders aloud and the four 'kids' jump. Whatever was going on must really be something if they hadn't noticed us come in.

Some of the tension dissipates as Dee jumps up to hug Dawson and I, though the other two women's eyes remain riveted on Andrew. What in the world did he do this time?

"Andrew, outside please," Dawson strides over and hauls the other boy towards the door, "I need help with something."

Katy relaxes a couple dozen degrees as the guys vanish outside, though there are eight small indentations on the counter from where her fingers were digging into it.

"Do I even want to know?"

"It was nothing," Katy says, a bit too quickly.

The look on Dee's face as she turns back to the other two confirms that it wasn't 'nothing' but I'm not going to ask. I don't really have to honestly; I can guess easily enough. Oh well, we'll deal with it later. Ethan won't be happy but he can go to Hell for all I care.

"So…how was the meeting?" Ash asks, her voice tight as her eyes quickly dart over to Katy before returning to me.

"Same as always," I groan as Dee pulls me towards the counter and passes me a plate of pancakes – ooo blueberry, "Ethan's running out of patience and he's being a dick about it."

"Remind me again why we're listening to Ethan," Ash grumbles, pushing her food around her plate, "he's been nothing but a thorn in our asses since we came to this planet."

I don't answer, the question was rhetorical.

Although my own experiences with the Elder Luxen have been blessedly limited, I've come to agree with Ash's assessment. Thankfully I never met him until after I was freed from Daedalus but my first instinct had been to blast him in the face and run. Why didn't I listen to that instinct?

For several minutes we eat in silence as I wait for the question I know is coming; I can see it in Katy's eyes.

"What was the meeting about?" she finally asks.

Ash glares at me in warning and Dee scowls but I ignore them both. It's not like we can keep this from her forever; eventually she'll find out and it will be better if it comes from us.

"The meeting was about bringing you to the colony." I start, "Ethan has been trying to get us to take you there since he discovered that we found you."

Katy just looks at me, confusion on her face for a moment before it clears. Wait…does she even know who Ethan is?"

"Why?" she asks slowly.

"Because of what Daemon did," I shrug, "or supposedly did. I'm still not convinced about all that. Either way, Ethan wants a way to bring Daemon to heel and he thinks he can use you to do it."

My sister smirks as I say that and her eyes brighten with silent laughter. It would seem that she's about as intimidated by Ethan as Ash, Dawson and I are. I guess that means that she has met the Elder Luxen before.

"We have no intention of turning you over to him," Ash adds quickly as she reaches over to give Katy's hand a brief squeeze.

"Of course not!" Adds Dee, sounding like that would be the most absurd idea ever – it's not, but it's definitely way up there.

Katy laughs. Dee and Ash fall silent as we all stare at my sister. Tears roll down her face, her whole body shaking and she turns to lean on Ash's shoulder before she falls over.

The blonde Luxen trembles as Katy continues to laugh and panic fills her eyes.

"Katy?" She asks softly.

"Sorry, sorry," my sister straightens up, scrubbing the tears from her face with her hands, "that was just too funny. Ethan. Wants to use me!"

And she's laughing again.

As suddenly as she started, her laughter stops.

"What makes him think he can use me?" She asks and there's no mistaking the malice in her voice, or the dark look in her glowing eyes.

"He's holding both Matthew and your mother hostage," Dee says after no one else does.

"Oh really," Katy says and heads towards the door, "then let's go get them."

"Wait! Time out Katy!" I put myself in front of the other girl, "Ethan isn't going to just let you stroll in there and take them."

She laughs again, a short, harsh sounding bark that sends goosebumps down my arms and legs as she brushes by me.

"He's welcome to try and stop me."

**x-x-x-x-x**

This is a bad idea. I mean, we've done some stupid stuff before but this is a really bad idea. Someone is going to get hurt.

"We have to stop her!" I whisper quietly to Andrew as we trail behind the others, ""She's not thinking clearly."

"Relax Dee," he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me closer and out of the way of a low hanging branch, "what's the worst that could happen? It's not like she's gonna do something with so many people there."

He doesn't get it; which is really odd seeing as Katy nearly killed him several weeks ago. But that had just been an accident and he didn't see what happened with the Arum the other night. That hadn't been an accident. Katy had…well I'm not really sure what she did to those Arum and I'm certain that I don't want to know what she's going to do to Ethan.

We have to stop this.

"Beth!" I pull away from Andrew and hurry to catch up with my other sister.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I try to ignore the nagging urge to run screaming from this place as we descend deeper into the earth. This is the first time I've ever been to the Luxen colony and I'd always pictured it as being some village hidden in the woods. There is a village but it's more of a decoy to explain away any Luxen who choose to go wandering around outside than an actual place to live. No, the real colony is underground and my desire to visit is starting to feel like a very bad idea.

Couldn't they have made these tunnels any wider? I rub my arms, trying to keep my skin from crawling off my body but the feeling of being trapped won't go away.

"You don't have to do this you know," Ash whispers in my ear, her hand resting lightly on my arm for a moment before falling away.

I really just want to grab that hand and hold it but I don't want to give Andrew any more fodder for jokes; that last one he made was just plain low. My friend's irritation with her little brother is still pouring off of her in waves from that comment and I'm just waiting for her to deck him.

"Yes I do," I give her a small smile as the tunnel begins to widen slightly. If my mother is being held prisoner because of me then I need to do everything in my power to get her out of here. I know all too well how horrible it is to be held captive. I can't leave my mother alone.

Light begins to fill the tunnel, illuminating the previously dark passageway. One of the benefits of being a Luxen – or a hybrid – is that we come with our own flashlights built in so darkness is never a problem. As my eyes adjust to the increased illumination a cavern, much larger than I expected, begins to take shape.

I've never actually been to a football stadium before but I'm fairly certain that we could play three or four games down here simultaneously and in relative comfort. This place is just massive but it actually looks, well, homey too.

The ceiling far overhead is transparent and although it's clearly there I can also see the sun against a cloudy blue sky. Countless small cottage like homes dot the grass and tree covered hills that circle an enormous field of flowers surrounding an equally large lake. Hundreds of Luxen mill about, engaged in every activity imaginable though most seem to be simply relaxing and having fun.

My jaw pops open as somehow a breeze weaves through the cavern and brings with it the scents of dozens of different blossoms. It's the most amazing fragrance and I could spend hours just trying to decipher each component without ever finishing.

"How can you not want to live here?" I look at Ash to find her mouth drawn in a tight line.

"It is beautiful here," she admits, "but no matter how the Elders may try to dress it up, it's still a prison.

"My brothers and I, along with the Blacks were lucky. Many of those you see here were born within these walls. This is all they know and the Elders teach them that the outside world is dangerous and evil. Once that may have been true but Daedalus is gone now and the Arum are not so big a threat that we can't live above ground. The Elders just refuse to let go of the power they wield so long as our people live here."

I stare back at her for a few minutes, trying to reconcile this woman with the girl whom years ago I'd been certain despised everything about the outside world – including me. Of course, we hadn't really been friends before either, though I think we had begun to tolerate one another in the weeks before my capture. Now though, now we're clearly friends. I wonder what happened to change all that?

Before I can ask her, however, a group of Luxen make their way towards us and my heart leaps as I see both my mother and Matthew in their midst. For a moment doubt grips me as my mother's eyes find mine. Its been years and I'm no longer the girl she knew. What if she knows what…what if she hates me?

More Luxen drift over, curiosity radiating from them. I shouldn't be surprised. I doubt that they get many visitors here and I know that I would want to see what was going on if I were in their shoes.

One of the Luxen in the first group that approached us steps forward, his human guise sliding into place to reveal Ethan. He hasn't changed in the years since I last saw him; not that I'd expected him to. He still exudes the calm authority of a person who expects to be obeyed without question.

He's in for a big surprise if he tries to pull that shit with me.

"Ethan," I nod slightly at him as he offers his hand – which I ignore – and the Source crackles to life within me.

"Katy, it has been a long time," he smiles, his hand dropping, "you look well."

"And you look the same," I respond, already bored with his pretense of civility.

"So," he claps his hands, making several Luxen jump, "what brings you here?"

"Just here to pick up my mother." I force a smile onto my face, "Thanks ever so much for looking after her while I was…away."

"Ah, but she doesn't want to leave, ask her yourself," Ethan motions towards my mom, "and of course you're welcome to stay here with her."

Next to me the others tense but I wave them off as my mother steps forward. I won't stay here but if she wants to then I won't stop her either. If that's what she wants. I swallow heavily.

"Hi Mom," I say quietly as she watches me. She looks exactly as I remember. The only thing missing is a set of scrubs.

"Katy?" She asks, giving me a funny look, "You look different."

I cringe. I knew it! She knows, of course she knows! And knowing what happened there's no way she could possibly still…

My thoughts are interrupted as she takes a step forward and hugs me. Wait…what? How can she be…why is she…I mean, she knows so…?

"Katy! Get back!" Ash snaps, her hand landing on my shoulder, "She's not your…"

A familiar sensation sends a tingling up my arms before my ears even register the clicks of two locks sliding into place. It's not an unpleasant sensation – not anymore at least though once it would have put me on the ground in agony. Still, it's almost as irritating a feeling as the sense of being cut off from the Source that accompanies it.

My mother steps back, a smirk on her face that quickly fades to reveal the Luxen who had been masquerading as her.

"Finally!" Ethan exclaims, "We've been looking for you for a very long time. Now at last we can deal with that infuriating boy!"  
My eyes drop to my wrists and I tug at them experimentally. I can't move them far though as they remain locked together by a pair of black handcuffs. Handcuffs clearly made of onyx.

Images of my time imprisoned by Daedalus flash before my eyes; varied and numerous beyond belief. Constantly though they return to one particular memory: myself, strapped naked to an onyx table while Arum file in around me.

No.

No!

Never again!

Something inside me snaps.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Oh crap," I whisper as Katy's eyes go completely black.

"Get down!" Dawson roars, tugging me away from our sister as the onyx handcuffs explode off her wrists.

I wince as shards of the superheated rock slice through my skin and I shield by eyes but the fragments don't do any real damage. After a second to be sure that the barrage is finished, I look up. My eyes find Katy again in time to see her become cloaked in an oily darkness that seems to claw at the light around us. What in the Hell?

"You brought an Arum here?!" Ethan shrieks, stumbling backwards.

"She's not an Arum!" I shout back but at the moment I'm not really sure myself.

"What do we do?" Dee appears at my side, dragging Andrew behind her. All around us Luxen are fleeing every which way.

Before I can even start to contemplate that question a shiny black blade forms on one of Katy's hands. She darts forward, crashing through the Luxen who impersonated her mother. The female's light vanishes before her body hits the ground and dozens of Luxen freeze. In the middle of the mess Katy floats in the air, momentarily forgotten as the reality of the danger begins to sink into the colony residents.

Blades of darkness begin to sprout all over my sister's body until she looks like a demented porcupine from Hell. Oh no, no, no, no! She isn't!

"Katy stop!" Dee shrieks as Andrew tackles her to the ground, shielding her from the coming attack.

"Beth!" Dawson yanks me backwards, my legs unwilling to work.

Time seems to slow as the blades explode out of my sister. They crawl through the air, the ground, the Luxen like they aren't even there. All around us I see the lights of many Luxen fade before my vision is obscured by my husband.

Time returns to normal as pain lances through my back, forcing the air from my lungs. Dawson shifts on top of me, grimacing and my hands fly over him, probing for injuries. Long, shallow cuts line his back and my fingers come away sticky with blood but they don't seem to be life threatening. Still, I need to see them.

"Dawson!" I try to push him off of me but he's too heavy and I can't get any leverage from this position.

"I'm fine," he groans unconvincingly, "promise. They're just flesh wounds."

Despite myself I giggle and then lean up to kiss him before he stands and pulls me to my feet. All around us lay the bodies of dead and injured Luxen and I hear Dee gasp in horror. What in the Hell did Daedalus do to our sister?

"Everyone ok?" Dawson asks quietly, his eyes and hands examining me for injuries of my own.

I'm fine though and considering Katy is gone again, I don't think we're in any danger of another attack.

"We're good," Andrew whispers, his face pale as he surveys the damage, "but where's my sister?"

Correction. Both Katy and Ash are gone.


	11. Serenade

Hey look at this! Two updates in a week! Yes I know it's sad considering how short my chapters are but it's better than three weeks right?

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

My heart hammers against my ribs as I race blindly through the trees. I'm not sure where I am or at what point I stopped moving at light speed but I don't care. It doesn't matter how fast, or how far, I run; I can't get away from the screams that echo in my head.

What was I thinking? My mother was there somewhere! Matthew, my friends and…I could have hurt them, or worse!

I just need to get away. Somewhere far away where no one will ever find me. I can't be trusted to be around anyone. I'm too dangerous. Too unstable.

Those screams though! Surely I had made quick work of those Luxen. As angry as I had been I hadn't wanted to torture them. So then why won't the screaming stop?

Whirling around, I barely manage to avoid plowing into a tree.

"I'm sorry!" I shriek at the voices but there's no one there to hear me and the screaming continues.

The silence behind the screaming cuts through me and I try to cringe away from it.

"I'm sorry!" I cry again, my vision blurred by tears, "I'm sorry."

My tears and apologies don't help though as my stomach twists viciously within me. Nothing helps and I sink to my knees, clutching uselessly at the ghosts that won't stop screaming.

Ghosts that I can't even see because I'm alone.

I'm alone.

**x-x-x-x-x**

Holy shit she's fast when she wants to be. Beth isn't nearly this quick though she was changed by a second-born so I suppose that's understandable. Katy was changed by a first-born though, so her strength is on a completely different level than our friend's is. In fact, if I wasn't first-born myself I probably would have lost her long before I did.

Even so, she still managed to give me the slip an hour or so ago.

Damnit where is she? I need to find her before she does something stupid and I…I need to find her. But where is she? I know that she's in the area, I can sense as much, but she's not using the Source right now and I can't pinpoint her exact location.

Gah! I smash my knuckles into a large tree, leaving a fist shaped hole. The pain in my hand does nothing to ease the tightness in my chest though. If anything the tightness only gets worse and I wince. If something happens to Katy I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't lose her again…even if I have no right to feel this way.

No. Never again. I won't allow it.

**x-x-x-x-x**

She doesn't even notice when I call her name. The woods are quiet around us but she makes no indication that she even heard me.

"Katy!" I call again, racing to her side, "Katy!"

This time she lifts her head and gives me a weak smile. Her eyes are red and puffy and tear tracks mar her cheeks and I'm not sure if she actually sees me.

"They won't stop screaming," she whispers hoarsely, "they're dead but they won't stop screaming."

What? I look around but there's no one here besides us. Who is she talking about?

"Katy who are you…?"

"Them," she waves dismissively around us, "they just keep screaming at me. They scream and they scream and they won't stop…"

My heart aches as she stares at me wide eyed. She reaches for me but her hand falls before I can take it.

"Please make them stop," she whispers so quietly that I almost don't hear her.

"Katy I…" I trail off as fresh tears trickle from her eyes. What do I do?

Adam was the healer though, not me, and I can't recall anything he taught me that might be able to fix this. Then again, he once told me that there are some injuries that can't be healed. I take a step towards her, my heart giving another painful squeeze in my chest as I pray that this isn't one of those cases.

"I killed them all," she moans, rocking on her heels and wringing her wrists, "tore apart their soft outsides to get at the gooey dark center…"

She starts laughing hysterically until she is interrupted by a round of hiccups that last so long that her face begins to turn blue from lack of air. Once they subside long enough for her to take a gasping breath she promptly starts giggling. If I didn't know better I would say that she's more than a little tipsy. Part of me wishes she was simply drunk because then I would know how to help her. This though…I don't know what she's talking about, never-mind what to do.

"They tasted soo good though, like candy, and I didn't want to stop but the light people wanted to make me stop and I didn't want to stop so I killed them too but I didn't eat them because they didn't taste good and they made my stomach sick thinking about eating them and…" she drifts off, sobbing for breath, her eyes half glazed over as the tears start once more.

"Katy…"

"Ash," her eyes focus and she finally seems to see me, "what did they do to me? All I wanted was to not be alone anymore…was that so bad that I deserved to be turned into a monster?"

"Katy," I step forward and wrap my arms around her, surprised for a second when she doesn't flinch or pull away, "I don't care what they did to you but you're not a monster…and you're not alone. I'm not going to leave you."

Her eyes open wider as she stares at me, "You promise? That's what…someone else said the same thing to me once…and they lied."

Daemon. She's talking about Daemon – she must be – but why doesn't she say his name? I push him from my thoughts. I may have no right but he's not here and she needs help.

"I promise Katy," I whisper and hug her closer, "I'm not going anywhere."

**x-x-x-x-x**

The sound of music wakes me from the first dreamless sleep I've had in weeks and for a moment a sense of déjà vu washes over me. I don't understand the lyrics but I'm certain that I've heard this language before. For several minutes I sift through my thoughts but I can't for the life of me figure out where I've heard this beautiful sound.

Nearby a small fire crackles cheerfully, throwing off a gentle heat that wards off the crisp night air. I breathe deeply and smile at the scents that greet me. Smoke and pine, snow and…roses? Maybe I am dreaming after all because I'm fairly certain that roses don't grow in places cold enough for snow in July. But then why do I smell them?

Looking around to find the source of this scent I realize that I'm not alone. Dozens of vacant eyed creatures stare at me from across the fire. Arum, Luxen and…humans. Finally seeming to realize that I'm awake a high pitched keening assaults my ears and I shriek as it quickly builds to a deafening intensity.

I scramble to my feet, clutching my hands over my ears and try to get away from them but they surround me before I can take a single step. Nausea swirls in my stomach as I turn, frantic to find a way past them but they've formed a solid, screaming wall around me.

"Leave me alone!" I shriek at them but my cries are easily drowned by their noise.

Tears run down my cheeks as I sink to my knees, unable to find a way out. The Source snarls violently within me but even it knows how hopeless this is. I groan uselessly as the noise drills through me, slowly splitting my skull into tiny pieces.

"Katy!" A voice breaks through the noise for a moment and I could kiss its owner for the brief respite she brings.

The relief lasts but a moment before the screams reach new levels of volume and I scream right back at them, to no effect.

"Katy!" The voice comes again and then Ash is there, kneeling in front of me, her hands cradling my face as she continues on rapidly, "Katy there's no one else here. Listen to my voice, focus on it. It's just you and me here. No one else, just you and me."

A musical language begins to pour from her lips, easily rolling right over the screamers even though Ash isn't speaking louder than a whisper. She doesn't slow her verbal barrage for a second and I find myself held captive by the subtle, barely visible, quivering of her lips. They must be incredibly soft to be able to produce the silky music caressing my ears. I need to know…

One by one the other faces fade into the night until the only one left is hers. The screaming vanishes with the faces, driven away by the music still streaming from Ash's throat – music I could listen to for my entire life without getting bored.

I don't want to stop her but I have to know. Unable and unwilling to restrain myself my lips capture hers, silencing their music.

I sigh against her mouth.

The feeling is indescribable.


	12. Confessions

Just over a week since last update! Not bad if I do say so myself, but remember: if you want me to update faster, reviews are great incentive! Oh and everyone make an account on ffnet before you review! I reply to all reviews if they come from people signed into ffnet!

And did I really just offer a bribe for reviews? Holy Hell what is the world coming to?

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"We're alone right?" I ask, fidgeting as dozens of people watch me with vacant eyes.

I recognize a lot of them: the woman who had taken my clothes when I was first captured; the guard who brought me food that he had spit in; the team of scientists who…; the group of agents who interrogated me; the Arum who had…; and the hybrids who had wanted my help escaping. All of them dead. Because of me.

"Yes we're alone," Ash whispers in my ear, her arms tightening around me, before pressing a kiss to the side of my neck, "why? Who else do you think is here?"

I shake my head and close my eyes. If there's no one else here then I don't want to think about them. These past several days have been heaven compared to what I had been going through. Although I still see them, Ash's voice seems to have stolen theirs and they haven't screamed at me since the night Ash and I first...

The staring I can deal with, though they are getting more creative with that too. Last night I woke up to one of them lying next to me, watching me as I slept and I'd nearly wet myself with fright. I grind my teeth at that thought; I'm far too old to be pissing my pants in terror over hallucinations. They. Can't. Hurt. Me.

Driving me crazy is another story though.

"You know you can talk to me right?" Ash offers, tracing patterns on my bare arms.

I shiver and stifle a small giggle as she tickles me, "I know…I'm just working on the 'if I ignore them they'll go away' theory right now."

She chuckles and kisses my cheek, "How's that working out for you?"

"They're still here," I grumble and, irritatingly enough, she laughs, "Oh fine…wanna distract me?"

"I think I can fit you into my busy schedule," she grins as I roll over so I'm straddling her lap, my lips less than an inch from hers.

"Tell me what happened after I was captured," I say and can't help but laugh as she frowns.

"Well you know how to kill the mood," she groans, radiating disappointment.

I laugh again and kiss her, teasing her mouth open with my tongue before pulling back, "I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you later."

She wiggles around, making herself more comfortable while she eyes me with a look that tells me she's seriously weighing the idea of just attacking me. It's a very tempting notion but it's long overdue that I know what the heck happened. Just as she makes up her mind I stop her in her tracks by sliding a couple of fingers between her legs long enough to get her attention.

"Later," I breathe in her ear and give her another kiss, "talk now."

"You are a tease," she hisses as I pull back.

"And you are as insatiable as…" my throat constricts, choking me before I can get out the name and I feel the blood drain from my face.

Irritation flickers across Ash's face but the look quickly softens into sympathy and she hugs me tightly. Talk about killing the mood. Does my foot have permanent residence in my mouth or what?

"Sorry," I whisper.

"It's ok," she promises, "I get it."

I laugh quietly at that. It's kinda messed up but I know she's not just saying that. Actually she's probably the only person who can understand.

"Anyway," she releases me and gets herself comfortable once more, "where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning?" I suggest and she cocks an eyebrow in this incredibly sexy way that has me clenching my hands against my thighs to keep from grabbing her.

"Well I'm not sure if I know that much about that but rumor has it that God got hammered at a party, sobered up seven days later, looked down and said 'Fuck!'…," she starts with a smirk that has me licking my lips.

I laugh and smack her arm, "Not that far…"

Before I can finish she lunges forward and pins me with her body as her lips capture mine. Her breasts brush against mine as one of her knees presses lightly between my legs. I shift slightly and groan against her lips as the friction sends electricity shooting through me, hardening my nipples almost painfully.

I could stop her if I wanted to; all I have to do is say it and she will, but my hips begin to move on their own, rocking slowly against her leg. I know there was something I had wanted to talk to her about but for the life of me I can't remember what it was.

God I want her.

Oh well. I'm sure it can wait a while longer. Pushing all other thoughts aside I open my mouth to her searching tongue, wrap my arms around her neck and pull her closer.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Sorry," Ash murmurs around a yawn and I laugh sleepily as I enjoy the feeling of her silky, sweaty, skin pressed against mine.

"I'm not complaining," I grin and reach up to brush a few strands of damp hair form her eyes, "I was about one smouldering look away from attacking you myself."

She laughs, her hands trailing down my bare back in a way that makes me shiver. I enfold one of her nipples in my mouth and suck gently for a few seconds, kneading both her soft breasts with my hands before beginning to trail kisses up towards her mouth. She rolls her eyes and groans, her entire body shuddering as the corners of her lips twitch upwards. Just as I'm about to try kissing that smirk away my stomach lets out an unseemly growl.

"Seriously?" I glare down at it and Ash laughs again. My stomach just growls once more in response and I burry my face in Ash's neck to stop myself from laughing.

"Ugh," Ash groans as her own stomach starts complaining, "We should find food…and maybe some cold showers if we're ever going to talk."

"Does that require moving?" I ask, my lips brushing against the smooth column of flesh as I breathe in her delicious scent; I really want to plant a garden of roses that smell like her…I'd probably never leave though.

"Yes," she sighs, her arms pulling me closer.

"Then fuck that."

A giggle bubbles from her throat and the vibration drives any thought of moving from my mind.

"We're not getting up anytime soon are we?" she asks quietly.

"Maybe next year," I suggest as she twists her head to kiss me, her hands cupping my ass to boost me closer still.

"Sounds good to me."

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Alright, let's try this again," I laugh around a mouthful of SpaghettiO's – I'm sure I'll tire of it eventually but for now canned food rocks.

Ash chuckles, wiping tomato sauce from her mouth with a napkin. It had taken awhile but we had eventually dragged ourselves away from each other long enough to find food and take baths.

We even managed to take those baths without attacking one another.

Really. Scouts honor.

Ok fine, I was never a scout. We screwed each other's brains out.

But we did manage to bathe.

Eventually.

"Think you can keep your hands off me long enough for me to explain what happened?" She smirks and I nearly attack her once more. Holy fuckin shit! Why the Hell am I this horny?

"Hey!" I protest, "As I recall you were pretty 'hands on' yourself. And no, so hurry up already before I start thinking about all the things I can do to you with these SpaghettiO's...and may yet do."

"Oo kinky," she laughs again and then grows serious, "So…I knew something had happened when Blake came out without you guys and took off."

"That little piece of shit. He better hope I never find him because if I do I'm gonna break his neck!" The snarl that comes from my throat as I say that shocks us both. Was that really me?

"Well, you never will because after Matthew and Dawson came out dragging Daemon I went after him." For a moment her eyes blaze pure white as rage pours off of her and her form blurs slightly, "He didn't get a mile before I caught him."

"You did what? Why? You could have been killed!" My voice shoots up a few octaves and my heart freezes for a second as I remember what Blake did to Adam. That could have been Ash too…

"Seriously?" She lifts and eyebrow, "Why? You were captured because of him, that's why."

Wait, what? She went after Blake because of me? Does that mean that even then she…? Despite myself my face heats. I mean, we had been getting along, more or less – though tolerating one another is probably more accurate –, at that point but I hadn't realized that…

"He wasn't even a challenge," she interrupts my thoughts, her form solidifying and her eyes returning to their normal blue as she smirks once more, "he was so overconfident it was laughable."

"Wait, I'm confused. I mean, I know he was an arrogant prick but he was also extremely strong."

"He wasn't strong," she snorts back a laugh but I can see it in her eyes, "he was trained and he was smart enough to always have a plan when he knew his training wouldn't be enough…well, at least until he met me."

"Still lost," I sigh, "I mean, he kicked my ass every time except…"

"Think about it Katy," she smiles, "you had what? A few months of half-assed training under your belt? I mean sure, your potential was worlds greater than his, but he had years of experience on you. All the talent in the world is worthless against experience."

"Half-assed?! He threw a freakin knife at me!"

"Exactly, one knife," she laughs, "I told you he was smart, he wasn't going to give you any real training unless he had a way to control you."

"So if he was so smart then what happened?" I grumble and shovel some more SpaghettiO's into my mouth. I don't care what she says, throwing a knife at someone and expecting them to stop it using a power they don't even know how to use is not "half-assed" training.

"I'm smarter," Ash grins and for a second I picture the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, "See, my brothers and I always told others that I was the youngest of the three of us and anyone who could have said otherwise – other than the Elders – are dead so Blake thought he was going up against a third-born Luxen. Being as he was a hybrid, with an opal, who had already killed Adam – who he thought was first-born – he assumed he would be able to kill me easily. The fact is though, Adam was third-born like Chris, while I am first-born."

"Wait, wait, wait," I interrupt, pushing some pasta around my bowl as a few thoughts on what I can do with the leftovers intrude on my thoughts, "what's with all this 'first-born' and 'third-born' stuff?"

"A Luxen's strength is determined by birth order – the same with the Arum – where the oldest are the strongest and the youngest the weakest – though the younger ones do generally end up with some odd talents," her grin gets even bigger, "but the difference in strength is like comparing a minnow to a whale and no third-born mutated hybrid, opal or no, will ever be able to compete with a first-born Luxen."

"Devious," I laugh and grin back at her, picturing exactly where on her body my leftover food is going to end up.

"Hardly," she snorts, "had Blake known anything about how the Elders choose who we're paired with – first-borns with first-borns, second with second, third with third – he would have realized pretty quick that I wasn't someone he wanted to mess with. Regardless, he's no longer a threat to anyone."

"So what does this have to do with what happened?"

"Absolutely nothing," she laughs, "you simply distracted me."

I groan and then laugh myself before smiling at her, "I can think of better ways to distract you…"

"Tempting," she scoots closer, licking her lips, "what's the catch?"

"Just tell me what happened," I wave my arm around us, "what happened to the world?"

"That's easy," she purrs, her breathe tickling my lips and I nearly start drooling, "Daemon happened."


	13. Breaking Point

Yeah I know…long time since I updated lol. I've been feeding my video game addiction again but I've largely finished with that for now so if I try to use that excuse again before "Remember Me" comes out, be sure to smack me. Actually, if I don't have this fic done by then, smack me anyway lmao.

I really meant to post this two nights ago but it didn't feel complete so I held off and ended up adding everything after the second POV. I think it's better now :D

But at last! The time has come!

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Lux Novels and I ain't makin any money off this.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"You've said that before," I say, placing a finger against her lips before she can kiss me- as much as I wouldn't complain about that, I want answers, "but what does that mean?"

She sighs, "Just that. Daemon happened."

I sigh myself. What in the world does that even mean?

"I don't know if you're aware or not, but we spent two years trying to get you out of that mountain. We actually went in several times without success. But the more time passed, the more out of control Daemon became until he finally snapped."

Daemon snapped? Somehow I can't picture my dream lover 'snapping'; he's always so patient and kind with me. At least in my dreams of course and those certainly aren't real.

"What did he do?"

"He outed us to the world, exposed Daedalus and threatened to 'end life as all humans knew it' if you weren't released unharmed."

I snort back a laugh, "Like anyone would have believed that."

"No one did," she chuckles quietly, "but he was serious, and when the deadline he gave came and you were still captive, he made good on that promise. That was three years ago. No one has seen him since."

"Wait, what? What did he do?" That can't be it. Where are all the people?

"I don't know," Ash shrugs, poking at the fire with a stick, "and that's not me blowing you off either. I honestly don't know what he did. All I know is that the sky caught fire and a lot of people died. There are a few pockets underground but humans were largely wiped out in the space of a couple hours. Satellites and planes fell from the sky. It was all very apocalypsish – tons of car accidents, boats running aground, explosions. Those sorts of things."

The sky caught fire? How is that even possible? And that doesn't explain, "but I've seen animals all over the place. Birds, insects, dogs, cats…everything. How did they survive and not…humans?"

"Not to be offensive or anything, but humans are pretty stupid. It was like the animals knew though. For days before and after there wasn't a single animal to be seen anywhere - they were in hiding I guess. Whatever it was though didn't seem to really affect the environment. Nor did it harm the Luxen or hybrids - well, most of the hybrids, Beth had a wicked headache for a few weeks."

It's a lot to wrap my head around. My race, well, the race I'd been born as anyway, virtually gone. I'd always thought that we'd kill ourselves eventually but still… I mean, even when I found out that aliens were real I'd never once thought that they'd be the ones to destroy us…them. And the one who ends up doing it – for me! – was the one who I supposedly was in love with. I don't know if I should be embarrassed, impressed or sad.

"Katy?" Ash says quietly, "Are you ok?"

Am I ok? She reaches over to brush her fingers along my cheeks and I realize I'm crying. Why am I crying?

"I," I start, and my voice is strangled by a small sob, "I…"

She wraps her arms around me, holding me as my body shakes. Her lips brush against my forehead and I hug her tightly. I still wish I knew why exactly I'm crying but I've no idea.

After all, I'd already figured out that the world ended. I don't think that's the reason for my tears though. Sure there are things from my old life that I miss, but certainly none of that is worth crying over.

Except for…

Except for…

**x-x-x-x-x**

I watch her as she sleeps, tears still marring her face. Within my chest my heart stutters painfully and I wince. The look on her face though, it hurts – even if I can see that she doesn't realize what she's doing.

She murmurs and groans but doesn't wake. I cringe slightly at the name that falls from her lips and sigh. What the heck am I doing?

For some reason she has been trying to deny it since we freed her and though I don't know exactly why, I've my suspicions. I shouldn't complain, even if she may only be with me as a way to distract herself from whatever happened. I mean, I already knew I had no right to fall for her like I have.

She belongs to someone else, even if she claims not to remember that someone. But there's clearly a part of her that does remember and I can't blame her for that. There is a part of me – a large part if I'm being honest – that still loves him too and I don't know if that will ever go away, despite what I feel for her. So why should I expect her own feelings for him to simply vanish?

It still hurts though, even though I understand. It still hurts.

Daemon still has her heart. And I never will.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Any luck?" Dee asks, looking as weary as I feel.

"No," I sigh and slump down onto the couch next to Dawson, "I thought this was like lookin for a needle in a haystack before, but at least the needle wasn't moving then."

Dawson leans over to press a kiss against my cheek and brushes some hair from my face. I really just want to curl up in his arms and forget about all this for a while – it's been quite some time since we've been able to just be alone together – but Dee is being a royal pain in the ass about finding Katy and Ash. On her own she's bad enough but since the Elders decided that holding Daemon's mother-in-law hostage was no longer a good idea – given what happened – Mrs. Schwartz has been something of a slave-driver in the quest to find her daughter. Both her and Matthew are still out looking actually.

It's been two weeks since Katy and Ash vanished, though, and no one has seen so much as a hair of either of them. We all felt something briefly a day or so after they disappeared but it didn't last long enough for us to get a location beyond the general direction of 'not here'.

"They're both holed up somewhere screwing each other and we all know it," Andrew grumbles with a roll of his eyes and a snicker, "I don't see why we have to be looking for them…they'll be back eventually."

"Andrew!" Dee shrieks, leaping to her feet as if burned, "Those are our sisters!"

"Oh stop being so dramatic Dee," Dawson chuckles and despite myself I smile.

He may lack any semblance of tact, but there's no denying that Andrew is probably right. Regardless of what Dee may think about the situation, it's been obvious that there's been something going on between the two women that hasn't been entirely platonic. Whatever that something may be has been helping Katy though, so it's fine in my book. But I am worried about what's going to happen whenever we find Daemon.

I shudder and lean against my husband. My brother-in-law destroyed the world trying to free his wife from Daedalus. I can't even begin to imagine what he's going to do when he finds out that his wife has moved on. All I know is that he's probably going to lose it.

Again.

Suddenly Dee's worrying doesn't seem so silly. As much as I don't want to meddle in Katy's love life, it may be for the best if she and Ash break it off…at least until we find Daemon and the rest of us have time to duck and cover.

Alright! A plan! Now we just have to find the people involved with said plan. I groan and burry my face in my hands. Who knew life after the apocalypse would be so complicated?

**x-x-x-x-x**

I can make out a dull glow but my eyes refuse to pull any shapes from the light.

I can hear noise but it's garbled, my ears unable to distinguish between individual sounds.

I want to stand but I can't really feel my body – just an exhausting weight where my arms and legs should be,

For a while I dreamed – they were good dreams: a woman, older than I remembered, with gray eyes. I knew who she was during those dreams but I can't seem to recall her name now. In those dreams I felt strong again, whole; I miss that – it has been sometime since I last saw her. I wonder why she doesn't come anymore.

I close my eyes and let exhaustion claim me. I hope I dream again. I hope I see her.

My…


	14. Hybrids

Once again, I know…long time since I last updated lol. I've no excuse, I'm just lazy :)

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

I groan as I open my eyes, the light harsh against them. Ugh…five more minutes, please. Actually, scratch that. Five more days. Why do I feel so tired?

This is so odd. I don't think I tossed and turned last night but I feel like I haven't slept at all. I'd love to chalk that up to messing around with Ash too, but we didn't do anything last night…at least, I don't think we did anything.

Reaching over to see if my girlfriend is awake, confusion fills my mind as my hand finds nothing but cold, empty ground. What the…? I sit up to look around and confirm what I already know: I'm alone.

"Ash?" I ask the emptiness anyway, unsurprised that there's no answer beyond a few birds twittering in the trees. Where is she?

Fear sings through my veins and, before I can stop it, the Source floods me; someone else – someone not my girlfriend – is here. I shoot to my feet, whirling around as I try to figure out where the attack is coming from but I can't see it. For a moment my body locks in place, sweat erupting across my skin and the hair on the back of my neck standing at attention as the fear morphs into panic. All around me the forest has gone silent; I may not have spent my life hiking and camping but even I know that that's not a good sign.

Now if only I could figure out where the danger is.

As quickly as the panic arrives though, it fades and I shake off the lingering remnants, trying to slow my racing heart. My entire body tingles with the aftereffects and the feeling that I'm being watched remains. A few minutes more pass before the birds begin chattering with one another again.

I stretch to wake up my stiffened muscles and take several deep breaths. Gradually my body calms down completely but the calm doesn't bring any insight into what the hell that was all about in the first place. Sure I have no idea where Ash is, but there's nothing here that suggest anything bad happened and that feeling of being watched is probably just me being paranoid. In all likelihood Ash just wandered off to go to the bathroom.

Yeah, that must be it; the bathroom. She'll be back soon, I'm sure of it.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Did you see that?" The annoying little Hybrid asks, pointing to the computer screen with a live video feed of my girlfriend, "She wasn't aware of your absence for five minutes and she nearly lost it."

"She's alone and scared," I nearly snarl, causing the other Luxen and Hybrids in the small room to jump, "what do you expect?"

"I expect a modicum of control," the Hybrid replies, unfazed by my tone, "but she clearly doesn't have that."

I grind my teeth but remain silent. What can I say? The kid isn't wrong. Katy has no real control over herself right now – she's operating almost entirely on instinct. I saw it when Andrew touched her. I saw it when the Arum attacked us and I saw it when Ethan tried to capture her. I've seen it at night when we're together; of course, lack of control in that situation isn't exactly a bad thing either. I can't suppress the smile that pulls at my lips at that thought.

"She's a bomb waiting to go off." One of the Luxen says, obviously annoyed by my smile, "Sure your presence may be keeping her stable, but you're not diffusing her either."

"Then what's the problem? So long as she stays with me nothing will happen."

The Hybrid shakes his head, "And what happens when you can't be there? What happens when you get injured? She'll lose it and we'll have a repeat of three years ago."

"No," a Luxen says, stopping me from speaking, "we need her in control, disarmed, and the only one who can do that is the one who made her."

I laugh, "She doesn't even remember Daemon. And besides, no one has seen him in years."

"Now you don't really believe that." The kid says, grinning, "No matter what was done to her, she's still a Hybrid and a Hybrid can never forget their maker."

Again I remain silent because the kid's right about that too. She may be with me right now and she may claim not to remember Daemon but I know she does. I can't claim to understand her denial – though I'd bet anything it has to do with what happened to her when she was captured – but I'm fully aware that it _is_ denial.

The room feels unbearably hot and small all of a sudden and I tug my shirt away from my suddenly sweaty skin, fanning myself with it. Maybe the heat has to do with all the computers running in here but I know that's not it. Fans turn overhead and I can hear the dull hum of an industrial sized air conditioner circulating the air. No, the heat I'm feeling has nothing to do with the room and everything to do with the withheld tears burning my eyes.

I shouldn't be about to cry over this. I mean, I knew I had no right to her in the first place. But that doesn't do anything to ease the pain in my chest. That remains, gnawing away at my insides.

Even so, that still doesn't change the fact that…

As if sensing my thoughts the kid shakes his head, "We brought you in to help us get Katy to join us willingly – we don't want to hurt her. But the reason we want her here is because her maker is also here."

A small gasp escapes my lips but I'm not sure if it's a product of my surprise or my breaking heart. I look around the room, trying to find a face that'll tell me the kid is joking but there isn't the slightest smile on anyone's lips.

"Daemon's here?"

**x-x-x-x-x**

I pace around the small fire I started – not because I was cold, but because it provided a distraction from the fact that my girlfriend is missing. Where is she? The desire to go looking for her has crossed my mind dozens of times but I've squashed it down over and over. There's nothing wrong – surely I'd know if something bad had happened…wouldn't I?

That aside though, she knows where I am and if I leave it'll be that much harder for her to find her way back to me. She will be back too, I know it; she wouldn't just leave me without a good reason. She would not.

Pausing, I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart. I slowly let it out and then repeat the exercise until I no longer feel like I'm about to have another panic attack.

"Never again," I say aloud – trying to convince myself really –, "She won't leave me like…and besides, I'm stronger now, I'm ok, I'll stay ok…"

The Source floods through me as the sound of bushes being disturbed reaches my ears and I swing around to face…

The blood drains from my face and the Source slips from me as my mother steps out of the trees. I back away from her and shake the shock off, drawing as much of the Source back into me as I can. I'm not going to let Ethan trick me a second time.

"Stay back!" I hiss when she starts to take a step forward.

"Katy?" She asks quietly, pain flitting briefly across her face.

"Ethan must think I'm a real idiot if he's trying to fool me with the same trick a second time," I snarl at the woman.

"Katy, it's really me," the woman says, her eyes tearing, "it's Mom. I've been looking for you for a long time."

She spreads her arms, as if hoping I'll run in for a hug. I shake my head – she really is stupid; couldn't she at least have come up with something different?

Several minutes pass before she drops her arms, her shoulders sagging as tears begin to fall from her eyes. A small breeze picks up, rustling the trees and blowing my hair across my face, but I don't risk the distraction to push it back. If I take my focus off her for a second I just know she'll attack.

"Sweetheart…what happened to you?" She whispers so quietly that I almost don't hear her over the crackling of the fire.

A twig snaps to my right and I whirl on the sound. Beth slowly steps into view, her hands raised before her – not like she would actually need her hands to hurt me; behind her trails Dawson, followed by Andrew and Dee. Glancing back at the Luxen pretending to be my mother I notice Matthew a few feet behind her.

"So…come to try and take me in again?" I growl at Beth, "That didn't work out so well the last time…what makes you think this'll be any different?"

"I'm sorry Katy," Beth grimaces, "I didn't know what Ethan was really planning. I would have told you if I had."

"And yet here you are, helping him again," I wave my hand at the imposter.

Beth shakes her head, "No Katy…that really is your mother."

"It's true Katy," Dee adds quietly, tears in her own eyes.

I look back at the woman they say is my mother – searching for some detail, some imperfection that would tell me that they're wrong. There's nothing though – not that I'd expected to find anything – this Luxen has gotten my mother's look perfectly.

_"Just kill them all,"_ a voice – my voice – whispers inside my head, _"burn it all to the ground until no one's left to hurt us."_

As darkness cloaks me I launch myself at the imposter. I'll not be taken again. Never again.

_"Yes! Kill them all!" _the voice shrieks gleefully and I find that I'm more than happy to oblige.


	15. Berserk

I've actually had this written for a few days but have been super busy with moving and training for my new job (not to mention jet lag sucks). But, this chapter is being brought to you from my new home (albeit, temporary) in Tokyo, Japan. Kampai!

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

I hadn't seen my daughter when she came to the Luxen colony, but I did see the repercussions of her visit and Matthew had provided the gruesome details that the injuries hadn't already told me. To actually see her about to repeat such violence though...what in the world happened to my little girl? What did those people do to make her like this?

"Katy!" I cry as she crashes into Matthew, but the look in her eyes tells me that she doesn't hear me; isn't even there really.

Before I can say anything more, both Beth and Dawson jump on my daughter; each grabbing an arm as they try to wrestle her to the ground. A second later Andrew and Dee join the fray, trying to subdue Katy.

I should help them, but I can't - she's my daughter, my little girl. I only wish I knew how to help her.

For a moment it looks like the others might succeed in stopping Katy's attack, but a silent scream fills my mind and all of them are tossed through the air like rag dolls. Beth had told me that this would happen before we even started looking for my daughter, though I hadn't really understood at the time. Now however, I can see for myself that none of us can hope to stand against my baby. I guess there really is something to this birth order hierarchy the Luxen are bound by.

What then can a human and a bunch of second and third borns do?

No. I refuse to believe that there's nothing we can do. She's my daughter and she is in pain. I'm her mother; I have to help her.

Even before the others hit the ground, Katy is gearing up to attack again. Darkness is drawn into her hand and she slams her fist into the ground. A wave of darkness explodes outwards but I don't see anymore as Matthew whisks me away from the blast.

"Are you ok?" he asks, his lips brushing my forehead and for a second I want to smack him at the stupidity of that question.

"Of course I'm not! My own daughter doesn't even recognize..."

Before I can finish, my eyes register movement behind Matthew: Katy. The darkness encasing her arm morphs into a blade that she thrusts toward me. There's no way we can avoid it so I close my eyes and pray for it to be quick.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I can't help the scream that tears from me as Katy's blade buries itself into my shoulder. The wound may not be fatal but damn if it doesn't still hurt like a bitch. My form flickers a few times but I can't shift while her darkness drains me.

_Katy! Please stop this!_ I plead but her eyes are blank, empty - my girlfriend has left the building.

My heart starts to fall as I realize that the person grinding a giant freaking dagger into my shoulder isn't the girl I love but I quickly shake it off. Instead, I launch into a verbal assault; trying to sooth her by speaking my native language like I've done before. I tell her that I love her and that no matter what I'm not going to leave her and that I'm not going to rest until she's ok again. There's no response this time though and her black eyes continue to stare through me.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the others getting ready to jump on Katy again and for a second I freeze, unsure of who I should be afraid for.

"Stay back!" I warn them off. As she is right now, my girlfriend will kill them without a second thought and I can't allow that because it would destroy her once she comes to her senses.

I start to run through several plans, trying to come up with a way to bring her back to me. It doesn't take me long. The idea that I settle on isn't ideal but it should work without seriously hurting her. Besides, I don't have time to come up with anything better; my strength is quickly fading.

"Sorry Katy," I whisper and pull my fist back.

Out of time, my fist darts forward, catching my girlfriend in the side of the head. She stumbles back and a sharp breath hisses from my clenched teeth as the blade is yanked from my shoulder and I switch forms. For a moment her eyes clear and she stares at me, shock written on her face.

"Ash?" she mouths before her eyes roll back into her head and she collapses.

I spring forward, catching her before she hits the ground, and hug her to me tightly. Tears burn my eyes as my human skin slides back into place, and I bury my face in the crook of her neck to hide them.

"She's going to be ok," I repeat over and over in my head, clutching her limp frame as I try to convince myself that I'll be able to make her better. My mantra does nothing to sooth the emptiness inside me though. As much as I want to help my girlfriend, I know there's only one person who can.

And that person isn't me.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"How long has she been like this?" I ask Beth as I gently stroke my daughter's hair.

"Since we found her," the young woman shakes her head, "though the whole black cloak is a recent development - as far as I know at least."

"Will she be ok?" Dee wrings her hands as she bounces from foot to foot.

My fingers find Katy's wrist and out of habit my eyes fall to the watch I'm not wearing. With a sigh I do the best I can without, before pulling back my daughter's eyelids.

"Her pulse is a bit fast, but I think that's probably normal for a hybrid considering all of yours are faster than a human's," I nod at the others, "physically she's fine as far as I can tell."

Mentally though...I don't have to say anything; I can see in everyone's eyes that they realize that mentally my daughter is far from ok. I just wish...I just wish I knew what happened to her so I could try to help her. Not that I'm a psychiatrist or anything, but it would be comforting to be trying to do more for her than just being here.

Matthew walks up behind me and squeezes my shoulders. I smile up at him gratefully but my heart isn't really in it. Although I appreciate him trying to comfort me, I don't think I'll feel better until Katy is well again.

A slight breeze passes through our small camp, disturbing the fire and for a moment my daughter stirs. The activity quickly subsides though and I relax a hair. I want her to wake up but part of me is nervous about what will happen when she does.

"Ash," Beth says quietly, "you know what happened to Katy, don't you."

My eyes snap to the tiny blonde, as do everyone else's. Since laying out my daughter, Ash has been hovering close by, trying not to look like she's about to be sick. Her eyes are averted now, though I can see tears in them. After a long moment of silence she gives a small nod and several tears trickle down her cheeks.

"Bad?" Dee asks, her voice little more than a whisper.

Another nod.

"Well?" I snap impatiently when the Luxen girl shows no sign of elaborating.

"It's not my place...she doesn't want anyone to know."

"But she told you," Andrew points out and his sister glares at him.

"She didn't tell me anything," Ash shakes her head, "and she doesn't know that I know. The only reason I even do know is because she's been talking in her sleep."

"Well then how am I supposed to help her?" I demand, "I need to know what happened!"

"You can't help her," Ash snaps back at me, her pupils blazing white.

"And you can?" I fire back.

"No," she says quietly, her voice cracking as her shoulders slump, "no, I can't help her either."

"Well then who?" Matthew's fingers kneading my shoulders the only thing preventing me from screaming.

Silence descends on the group as I wait for someone to answer.

"My brother," Dawson finally speaks up, "Daemon can help her."

"Well that puts us back at square one then," Andrew laughs and I want to throttle the boy, "we don't know where he is."

Once more it's silent and I grind my teeth uselessly. My daughter needs help and she needs it now.

"That's not true," Ash says quietly and once more all our eyes are riveted on her, "I know where Daemon is."


	16. Caged

Ah more delays...but that's my norm isn't it? Lol... At any rate, I am now established in my new home in Setagaya-ku, Japan...which is actually still a part of Tokyo in all technicality.

But digressions! We're actually getting fairly close to the end of this story...not 100% certain but I think we're going to be looking at 20 chapters total...or so.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

Ugh, what hit me? Of late I think I've become something of an expert on blacking out and my professional opinion is that it sucks. Royally.

And sweet alien babies my head hurts! Did I get run over by an elephant or something? Or maybe all of this has just been one fucked up dream and I really did get hit by that truck.

That must be it because there's no way that aliens can be real. And if aliens aren't real then that means they couldn't have...But then if they're not real then that also means that I never met...

Pain that eclipses my head shoots through my chest and I double over to ease it. Or, at least, I try but I don't get very far as several weights hold me in place.

What the?

My eyes fly open.

Silver walls great me and my stomach drops. I'm laying in what seems to be a hospital bed and my arms and legs are strapped to the railings.

I open myself to the Source and try to draw its power into me so I can tear the straps off me but I get nothing.

The blood flees my face and I scream, trying to pull myself free. The straps are tightly secured, however, and my struggling does nothing but cause them to cut into my skin. I don't stop pulling though; this can't be happening again!

"No, no, no!" I shriek silently, blood welling up from where the straps are slicing my flesh. Any second a door is going to open and...

I scream and scream until my throat is ragged and I'm coughing up blood. And then, I scream some more.

But no one hears me.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"I can't take this anymore!" I snarl at the Hybrid as I watch my girlfriend scream and writhe on the table she's strapped to.

She's absolutely terrified I've never seen anyone so afraid before and it's scaring me. Katy's voice is shot, barely a rasp, and her eyes are red with broken veins. Blood seeps from her wrists and ankles, dripping onto the floor as the straps tear into her skin but she doesn't pay the injuries any attention and neither of those facts do anything to stop her struggles.

"Really is this necessary?" Mrs. Schwartz asks, the same pain I feel written all over her face.

Necessary or not, we're done. I head for the door to the cell, only to be stopped as a large Luxen steps in my way. The gesture is purely for show though; we both know he can't stop me and I glare at him. For his credit, he barely flinches.

"I know you don't like this but until Daemon wakes up we have to keep her contained," the Hybrid sighs, "right now she's too much of a danger to everyone else."

"Move," I say to the Luxen and I'm fairly certain he just wet himself.

"Did you not hear me?" the Hybrid stands and if he grabs so much as a thimble more of the Source he's going to find out first hand why this Luxen is afraid of me.

"I heard you, I just don't care," I snarl, my form flickering, "because if we keep her in there any longer, not even Daemon will be able to stop her from exploding."

There it is: that slight increase in power that I knew was coming. Before he even realizes what he did I hammer both him and the other Luxen into the wall. The Hybrid sputters uselessly - clearly unused to not having the upper hand; what with the opal he's wearing and all. From what I understand he was some sort of prodigy within Daedalus, but intelligence is one thing and raw strength another; he may have the former, but I have both.

I feel the two of them struggling against my hold but I just grind them into the wall harder.

"Ash, stop it," Beth says, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder, "you're right but killing them won't help anything."

With a sigh I let them drop, "Once I calm her down, you're going to take us to Daemon."

I don't wait for an answer before I jab at the control panel keeping the door closed and rush into the room.

Katy is silent, red eyes staring out of an otherwise bloodless face. Tears well up in my eyes as I see the blood still dripping onto the floor. Her entire body trembles but I'm not even sure if she sees me.

"Katy?" Even I hear how my voice cracks as I take several hesitant steps towards her.

"Ash?" She rasps and I spring forward, my hands tearing the straps open before I begin dousing her in healing light.

My lips capture hers and she sighs against me as her flesh slowly knits back together.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, nibbling on her bottom lip as I hold her, "I didn't want this to happen."

Silent sobs wrack her body as she clutches me tighter. I don't let go, even as she starts inching my shirt upwards and I am so tempted to not stop her.

"Katy," I murmur before we really start putting on a show, "we're not alone."

Instantly she freezes and goose bumps pebble her skin. I immediately start smoothing them away.

"No one's going to hurt you," I say quietly, kissing the soft spot below her ear, "I won't let them."

After a moment she nods into my shoulder but her grip doesn't loosen.

For a long time we just hold one another without saying anything. I press countless gentle kisses to whatever parts of her I can reach but it still takes quite some time for her to start to calm down fully.

"Do you trust me?" I ask at last, now that the injuries from the straps have faded and her breathing no longer rasps sickly. Even the red in her eyes has begun to fade.

"Yes," she says without hesitation and, cringing slightly, I take a deep breath.

"I know what happened to you," I say simply and once again she turns to wood in my arms, "and I am so sorry. I can't even begin to imagine what that was like.

"I want to help you - to help you get passed what happened...will you let me?" I trail off. No matter how much I want to help her, I'll never be able to if she refuses to be helped in the first place.

Katy is silent for a long time and I trace soothing patterns along her back while I wait. Gradually, she begins to relax once more, her head dropping to my shoulder as she does.

"Yes," she whispers the word so softly that for a moment I doubt that I heard it at all.

I pull back to look at her, my heart giving a painful twist as I see the tears in her eyes.

"Please...make it stop," she adds, even quieter still.

The room is silent around us and for a moment I find myself wanting to believe that we are in fact alone. There's so much I still want to say to her but now I don't think I'll ever get the chance.

"I can't help you Katy," I say quietly, "no matter how much I want to.

"But," I add quickly, before what little hope I sense in her vanishes, "I know who can...if you'll let them."

Once again silence descends on us, save our quiet breathing. I'm not sure how she's going to react when I tell her who can help her. But, then again, I have a feeling that she already knows on some level. I just wish I knew why she's...no. No. I already know why she denies remembering Daemon. The real task here is to make her realize how foolish that reason is.

Slowly I slide off the table, taking her with me as I go. She's shaking like a leaf and I keep my arms firmly around her as we head for the door.

"Come on Katy," I say quietly, "let's go get you fixed up."

With a heavy shudder, the door slides open and we step through.


	17. Downward Spiral

So I just finished reading "Obsession" last night. Really good and gives us a bit more insight into what the heck is going on after the events in "Opal". And as an added bonus, everyone's favorite green-eyed Luxen makes a brief (heavy emphasis on the "brief") cameo (further heavy emphasis on the "cameo").

Oh, and as a public service announcement for those readers that are a bit younger... "Obsession" is an "adult" novel that contains some semi-graphic sex scenes so you've been warned ;)

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

Ash can't help me...

That thought runs through my head - over and over; again and again. It doesn't take long for the mantra to change though. I feel as if I'm tumbling down the side of a mountain, unable to grab anything to slow my descent as I speed towards a waiting cliff.

...Ash can't help me...

...Ash can't help me...

...No one can...

...No one can...

...No one can...

...Someone can...

...Someone can...

...Someone can...

...It's not true...

...It's not true...

...I want it to be true...

...I want it to be...

The hallway is empty: a perfect reflection of how I feel. My feet begin to drag; steadily getting heavier the closer we get to the destination my body can already sense.

A strange prickle erupts along the back of my neck and I gasp. For some odd reason the sensation unleashes a wave of tears that cascade down my cheeks. Why am I...? But I know why. I know and that knowledge settles in my stomach as if I swallowed a stone; a very large stone.

This prickle...I've felt it before; a long time ago, in another life - when I was another person. Now though...now I can't even be called a person. Now I'm a creature who kills and feeds off others...and enjoys it.

I'm a monster.

I'm a monster and I can't...I can't...

This prickle, it feels like...home. It feels like home and that, that terrifies me. It terrifies me because I want it. I want to go home. The tears fall harder because I desperately want to go home and I can't.

I can't go home.

I can't ever go home.

I can't...

**x-x-x-x-x**

I smile for what feels to be the first time in...or at least, I think I do. The fact is though, that I really can't feel my body so while I want to smile, I don't know if my body is receiving that message. So maybe I am smiling...or not. Who knows?

But I suppose that that isn't entirely true either. I do feel something - it's the reason I want to smile after all. The back of my neck is tingling. That hasn't happened since...the last time I smiled I suppose. Even if it has been...a long time, I still remember exactly what that feeling means.

How can I not be smiling?

The part of me I lost so long ago is close...so close.

My other half.

My Katy.

**x-x-x-x-x**

Katy's feet are rooted to the ground. Literally. The closer we got to where Daemon is, the slower she moved until she drew on the Source to prevent her feet from going forward.

I get that she's scared...even understand why to some extent. But even so, I hadn't realized exactly how scared she was...is...of seeing Daemon again.

Right now she's having a full on panic attack and I've no idea how to stop it. I mean, leaving would certainly help but that's not really an option - not if Katy is going to get better.

"Breathe," I whisper in her ear while I rub her back, trying to smooth out the gooseflesh that pebbles her skin.

Her entire body trembles violently an if I didn't know better I'd think she was cold. But the sweat on her back and the fact that warm air circulates around us dispels any such illusion.

"Breathe," I remind her again and take a few deep breaths for emphasis.

Her mouth opens and closes slowly as she tries to take my advice but she doesn't seem to be even remotely calmer. If anything, she's actually shaking worse than before.

With a sigh I pull her into a kiss and she freezes. A small smile plays on my lips at how easily I can distract her and I force it to remain there even as I feel it start to fall. Before she recovers I turn her so she's in front of me and looking back the way we came.

"Talk to me," I say softly and capture her eyes with my own before she can look away, "do you know who we're going to see?"

The barest dip of her chin is all she manages around her deer-in-the-headlights shock.

"Who?" I prompt.

"You know who," she barely whispers.

"Name."

"No."

"Name."

She shakes her head, her hair flying wildly about, several strands smacking me in the face in the process. Perhaps it's time to stop treating her with kid gloves.

"Tell me his name Katy," I growl and tighten my grip on her - I seriously hope she doesn't make me drag Daemon's name out of her but I already suspect that she will.

"No," she glares at me and I tighten my grip further.

"Katy," I whisper in her ear, "if you don't cooperate you're going to be put back in that room and left there until you scream yourself to death."

I'm well aware that that's a low blow but I don't care. She can hate me all she wants so long as she gets better again.

"They can try," she snarls, her eyes starting to glow.

"They've already succeeded...several times," I point out with a grimace, "and if you don't start showing some improvement they'll do worse than they already have. Is that what you really want?"

For a second the angry mask cracks and I get a glimpse at the real Katy. It's the first look - I realize - that I've ever actually gotten and I recoil in shock at what I see.

She does want to be locked up. She's spent so long imprisoned that she believes she belongs there. I thought I'd understood why she's afraid of seeing Daemon - of even admitting that she remembers him - but the truth is far worse.

She thinks - no, she's convinced - that she's a monster who deserves nothing more than to be locked up. And a monster doesn't deserve happiness. A monster doesn't deserve someone like Daemon...someone like me.

I take a step back and look at her. All this time I thought getting close to her was helping but it hasn't been helping at all. I haven't been helping at all. If anything I've made it worse.

I've made her worse.

No! No, I have to fix this. I love her; I have to help her. I have to!

Even if she ends up hating me.

Turning, I drag her back the way we came. She relaxes as we get further from Daemon but the distance only serves to wind my tighter. I have to fix this but the lack of ideas on how to accomplish this already has my stomach twisted in knots.

**x-x-x-x-x**

The tingling along the back of my neck fades and I scream soundlessly. Not again! I can't lose her again! If I have to drag the very sun from the sky I swear to all the stars I'll do it, but I will not lose her again!

Drawing on as much of the Source a I possibly can, I shed my human skin and scream.


	18. To Challenge the Sun

Ok so the closer summer vacation gets, the lazier I seem to get in updating. I blame the heat personally - it saps all motivation to do anything beyond parking my butt in front of the AC with a cold beer.

That and for some stupid reason I've started re-watching "The Vampire Diaries" which sucks up all my time.

That and Wind Runner...something I curse my sister for ever introducing me to.

But all that aside, enjoy this chapter! And if I got Katy's mom's name wrong please let me know. I think it's correct, but I was too lazy to hunt through my books to find the one or two instances where it's used (one of the few downsides to reading books on a Kindle I think) so I could be wrong.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

Nothing but white light greets me as my eyes open for the first time in...I've no idea and for a moment panic creeps across my mind as I think I've gone blind. Fear quickly drowns out the panic though. Not fear of being blind; that would really suck but I could live with that. No, the only thing I'm afraid of is losing Katy...again. I can't do that again.

I won't

My fear is buried by rage and the white light takes on a reddish hue that allows me to begin making out my surroundings. I seem to be lying in a bed of some sort with a variety of tubes snaking along the walls and into my body. Vaguely I notice those tubes swaying back and forth while the bed rattles nosily, but I don't pay either any attention.

I tear the tubes from me and struggle to my feet, the fact that the ground is shaking not helping my weakened body remain standing.

Irrelevant.

There's nothing I can't - or won't - do to get back to her. They're not taking her from me again.

With far more effort than should be required for such a simple action, I put one foot in front of the other and head for the door.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I don't know what to do. A small sob escapes my throat as I lean against the door and slide to the floor. Never in my entire life have I felt this useless...this helpless; not even when Adam died. Katy is right here and yet I can't do anything at all to help her.

I can't do a damn thing.

Another sob builds in my throat but escapes as a scream instead as I smash my fist into the wall. The crunch of breaking bones reaches my ears, even as I leave a sizable dent in the metal, but I don't feel the pain at all; at least not the pain in my hand.

What am I supposed to do? I can't help Katy myself and I can't make her go see Daemon. Nor, from what I understand, is Daemon in any shape to be brought here. So what exactly...

The floor jumps beneath me and anything not tied down begins to shift and rattle. Various objects - pens, notepads, clipboards - fall from where they're perched. In the distance I hear the sound of shattering glass while all around me the metal walls groan.

For a full minute it doesn't seem safe to try and stand before the shaking fades and then stops.

What in the world? An earthquake? Here? I mean, I know they do occur every so often in this part of the world but I've never heard of one so strong or lasting quite as long. I suppose stranger things have happened but even so, that was weird.

Very weird.

With a sigh I get to my feet. I'm so not in the mood for this right now. But I suppose that doesn't matter. I need to check and see if everyone is all right thought I doubt anyone got seriously hurt by that small tremor.

Still, I force myself to move, ignoring the painful throbbing of my broken hand, and quickly glance into Katy's cell. She's sitting on the edge of the bed, legs drawn up to her chest as she stares blankly at the wall. It doesn't even look as if she noticed the earthquake at all. At least she didn't get hurt though.

Now to find the others.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I cough as the dust swirling through the air invades my lungs. Weakly I push at the shelves that collapsed on me but they're far too heavy for me to move. With no hope of lifting the debris I instead try to pull myself free. Pain lances up my trapped legs and before I can stop it, a scream slips from my lips.

Holy crap that hurts! Carefully I reach under the shelves and probe along as much of my legs as I can reach. Something hard and jagged slices into my fingers where I should feel nothing but smooth flesh.

I groan and the sound comes out as more of a wince. A busted leg is something I really don't need right now; not that I ever really need a broken limb, but right now this is just really inconvenient.

"Anyone dead?" Andrew calls out around a cough of his own and a collective groan rises up from the others at the bad joke.

"I didn't know the northeast had earthquakes," complains Dee.

"That's because you slept through the others," chuckles her brother.

"As interesting as all this is, can someone please get these shelves off me before I have to amputate my legs with a dull pocket knife?" I grumble, pushing uselessly at the debris.

"Kelly?" Matthew's voice, laced with concern, reaches my ears seconds before he appears beside me.

I hiss in pain as he lifts the shelves off me and tosses them aside as if they weighed nothing. Blood seeps from my wound at a slow but steady pace and I sigh in relief; at least it's not too bad, all things considered. And hey! Only one broken leg though the other is already forming some massive bruises.

"I'm fine," I assure Matthew before he can ask, while the others hurry over, "just need to clean the wound, set the bone and either bandage it or have someone heal it."

After nearly five years around the Luxen I'm well aware that they can heal almost any injury I may sustain with little fuss. I was incredibly impressed by the ability the first time I saw it in action, though I'd realized almost immediately that I had actually seen it working before. The real first time I saw a Luxen's healing was the night my daughter came into my hospital after that attempted mugging - something I know now was actually an Arum attack.

Katy was healed multiple times from what I'd been told, though I'd cringed when I learned that in order for her to have been turned into a Hybrid, at least one of those times was from near death. So many times I nearly lost her and I hadn't even known; I hadn't known a thing about what was going on until she was taken. And now, even though she's back again, she feels further away than ever.

I can't even begin to imagine what she must have went through in her captivity, but it changed her. As much as I hate to admit it, the girl who was stolen from me is not the woman who came back. Based on what little Ash told us, it's clear now that the daughter I'd known is dead, or at very least gone. The Katy I gave birth to, raised...loved...is gone and I don't know if she's ever coming back; if she ever can come back.

So, perhaps the best thing I can do is let go - for now. I'll let her know where I'll be and then leave; I'll leave so she can have the time and space she needs to heal. I don't like it but...this isn't a scrapped knee, or a broken arm; I can't fix this. Maybe no one can.

Finished putting my leg back together, Matthew and Dee help me to my feet and I gingerly test my weight on the freshly healed limb. Good as new. Now if only it were as easy to fix every injury. But it's not and my decision is made.

I may not know her anymore, but Katy is still my daughter and this is something I can do. For her.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I feel sick. I feel sick and the closer I get to Katy the worse it gets. The prickle is back though and I don't care how sick I am, I'm going to make sure I never feel this sensation disappear again. I'll lock us in a box at the bottom of the ocean if I have to but no one is going to take her away from me again. No one.

She's close now. So close I can nearly taste her. I just have to get to her...but my stomach has other ideas and I have to stop for a moment as I double over. Cramps erupt along my gut and I heave, but my stomach is empty and nothing comes out.

Several minutes pass before I'm able to stand but the pain lingers. Holy shit this sucks. I've never gotten sick before - no Luxen I know of has - but if this is what it feels like then...God how did Kat survive all those years before I met and changed her? How do any of them live like this?

But this doesn't matter. If I spend the rest of my life sick like this I won't care so long as I'm with Katy. My form flickers and I nearly sink to my knees but I grit my teeth and continue forward.

_Katy!_ I yell mentally, hoping she can hear me...can answer.

She doesn't respond but I feel her mind briefly press against mine - the mental equivalent of someone opening their mouth to speak and then saying nothing.

My blood freezes. In that brief contact I'd felt terror from her unlike anything I've ever felt before. Something is wrong...especially if she isn't able to answer beyond what she just tried.

_Hold on Kat!_ I yell to her and force my body to move faster, _I'm coming!_

Again her mind brushes mine but she still says nothing and her fear has increased exponentially. I drive my body harder as I sense someone grabbing hold of more of the Source than I've ever felt someone hold before. Kat...at the same time though and icy chill runs up my spine: Arum.

_Kat!_ I scream, dropping my human form entirely and surge forward as fast as I can. This time I have to protect her.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I haven't gotten very far in my search when I sense first one person, then another, seize hold of the Source. For a moment I freeze - I've never felt any single Luxen or Hybrid grab that much power at once...never mind two. But that's not true, now that I think about it. I've sensed someone hold this much power once before, when Daemon...

Oh fuck.

A chill shoots up my spine almost the same instant as I realize what two people wielding this much of the Source could do, and the blood drains from my face.

Double fuck.

I spin on my heels and race back towards Katy's room. As fast as I'm moving though, something else - moving much faster - bowls me over. The only warning I have is the sense of a massive amount of the Source bearing down on me a split second before it crashes into me and keeps going. I nearly slam into a wall as the force of the impact sends me flying and I leave gouges along the floor as I dig in my heels to stop myself.

What in the hell was that?

With a shake of my head I push that question aside so I can reorient myself and resume heading back towards Katy. I feel a large surge of the Source up ahead and a strong wind blasts me in the face. The smell of smoke drifts into my nose along with the wind and I quickly discover the source as I reach my destination.

The door to Katy's room is gone; the only things left are smoking pieces of jagged metal along the frame. Although...that steaming puddle of...something...could also be remnants of the missing door.

Careful not to touch the shrapnel, I peer into the room and gasp.

Katy is pressed into a corner, her form shifting between human, Luxen and Arum as if she can't decide which makes her feel safer. Her entire body trembles as she stares wide eyed at the figure in front of her. I understand her fear instantly.

Standing before her, looking for all the world like someone just tap danced all over his grave, is Daemon.


	19. Daemons

Whooo! Less than a month to go until "Origins" is released! Which means, that's about how much time I have to get my butt in gear and finish this fic!

And oh, since I normally have an excuse for the delay, here's this one: for some stupid reason I decided to sit down and watch all four seasons of "The Vampire Diaries"...again. As if once wasn't enough lol...and after that I promptly started watching "Once Upon A Time"...which is friggin awesome for an ABC series.

I need help.

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

What the Hell is going on here? When I broke down the door I had found Kat pressed into a corner, her body shifting between human, Luxen and what looks to be...Arum? so fast I could barely keep up with the changes. Now though she stares at me, her body settled on Arum, with a look no Arum has ever had the sense to wear. That look is the only reason, aside from the prickle, that I know this is actually Kat and not an Arum or Luxen in disguise. But what happened to do this to her? What did those bastards do to my Katy?

"Kat?" I say quietly, slipping back into my human form as I take a step closer, "Kat?"

_Ssstay back!_ her voice enters my mind as she cringes further into the corner.

I stop in my tracks, her words stinging as if she slapped me. Does she not know who I am? What's going on?

"Katy," I try again, "it's me."

She doesn't even answer this time but the shadows coil around her tighter and my stomach gives an unhappy heave. For a moment my knees threaten to dump me to the ground but I lock them in place and take a deep breath.

The stench that assaults my nose, however, is nothing short of repulsive. Rotting food and human waste all laced with various undertones of sickness make for an absolutely revolting aroma. Thank the stars that my sense of smell isn't really any better than a human's or I would be passed out on the floor by now.

What the heck _is_ this?

"Katy?" I try yet again and slowly offer my hand, "Do you know who I am?"

The room goes impossibly still as my question hangs in the air; even the shadows surrounding her have stopped moving. Seconds tick by in silence, slowly turning into minutes. After what feels like hours, she nods. It's the barest dip of her chin, but it is a nod. A breath I hadn't noticed I'd been holding rushes out of me and my shoulders sag with the corresponding release of tension.

She knows me.

From her reaction to my presence I hadn't been sure if she recognized me or not - I mean, after all the time she spent imprisoned I wouldn't have been surprised really. Still, it's a relief to know that that's not he case. She's free again, here. Even if she didn't remember me I would have dealt with it so long as those two other things remained true.

I take another step towards her and she presses herself into the corner tighter than she already is. She recognizes me though, so what's with this behavior?

_Pleassse_ the voice is little more than a whimper and if I hadn't been certain she wasn't a real Arum already, that one word would have convinced me. No Arum says "please", let alone begs.

"Please what?" I ask and inch forward.

_Don't_ her body sags a bit and I take one more step.

"Don't what?"

Her eyes dart from me to some point behind me - probably the door - and back as she begins to slide along the wall.

_I can't_.

I lurch forward to stop her and most of my strength abandons me. She freezes a I move and I throw my hands against the wall - one on either side of her - to steady myself. Not my most graceful movement for sure, but at least she didn't bolt.

"What's going on Kitten?" I ask, "Talk to me."

She doesn't answer. Instead, the shadows surrounding her boil and rise off of her as sharp blades that gleam in the dim light.

"Katy don't!" A familiar voice screams from behind me.

I don't even have time to look and see who it is before the blades explode off of Katy.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I can't stop the scream that leaves my throat as the blades explode from Katy. If she hurts Daemon I don't know if we'll ever be able to get her back and if she kills him...

I cringe at that thought, my heart giving a vicious tug. What will I do if...Wit a shake of my head I slowly open my eyes. A gasp that turns into a sob at the end bubbles from me and tears sting my eyes as I take in the sight before me.

The room is covered in an oily spider web. Each inky strand is attached to a blade imbedded in the walls, floor and ceiling. The strands all lead back to where I can just make out my girlfriend pressed up against the wall.

Darkness no longer covers her and even as I watch I can see it slowly draining away; once more exposing the girl I love. Her face is pale, her eyes wide as she stares at Daemon. Her entire body trembles and for a moment her hand twitches towards the motionless form of her husband before falling limply to her side.

I breath a small sigh of relief and take a step forward. At least she didn't kill him otherwise she would be dead already. Nor did she seriously hurt him either. Even so, this isn't going to help her in anyway; knowing that she attacked Daemon like this. I can only imagine what she must be thinking right now and none of it's good.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I stare at Katy, her wide eyed expression surely a mirror of my own as I try to decipher exactly what emotion I'm feeling right now. Pride is definitely there because this attack was just plain awesome. There's a good deal of worry too though, as I still have no idea how exactly Kat is doing any of this. And, of course, there's a massive amount of shock that Katy - my Katy - would even attack me like this in the first place.

For a solid minute I'm convinced that the shock freezing me is the main reason absolutely none of these tendrils touched me. The older that minute gets though, the more I realize that my shock had nothing to do with it. From the look on Katy's face I can tell that she hadn't been trying to hurt me. No, this attack was big, flashy and hadn't even come close to touching me; it was meant to scare, not injure.

That knowledge though does nothing to help make sense of this situation. Instead I'm simply left with the same question I had before. What the Hell is going on?

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Did anyone else feel that?" I ask. The question is rhetorical really; I can tell from the fear on everyone's faces - save Mrs. Schwartz of course - that they had all felt that massive amount of the Source nearby.

Dee stares at me, eyes wide, tears trickling from them. More than fear is on her face and I'm certain that I'm wearing a similar expression.

"Dawson?" Her voice cracks as she takes a step towards me, "Was that...?"

I open my mouth to answer but the words won't come. After all this time I don't want to hope but...that's all we really had these past few years. Dee's form blurs as I nod and a sob escapes her throat. My own form begins to waiver and Beth's hand sliding into mine is the only thing that holds me together.

She looks at me and I can see the question in her eyes as my human form slips a little further. Dee is practically vibrating with energy and without another words she shoots off towards where we felt the Source.

"Dawson? What is it?" Beth asks, concern coloring her voice.

I give her hand a reassuring squeeze as my human form finally fades.

_Daemon._

**x-x-x-x-x**

I attacked him.

I attacked him!

No!

No I couldn't have! Not him. I couldn't have attacked him. I couldn't have attacked him because I don't want to...Not him.

Never him.

But I...

No!

Nononononononononononononononono!

It's not true, it's not true. It can't be true because if it is then I...then I...it can't!

But he's here! Right here! I can see him...smell...and God, I can even feel...

No!

I can't! I can't!

Ican'tIcan'tIcan't...

**x-x-x-x-x**

I feel and hear my heart break as Katy sinks to the floor. Tears pour down her cheeks as she clutches her head and rocks back and forth. A steady stream of near gibberish flows from her lips, punctuated only by the occasional sob.

"Kitten what...?" Dizziness strikes me and the room spins. Before I can even think about trying to steady myself a pair of slim arms grab me and prevent me from...

It takes a minute to realize I'm sitting on the ground; the same pair of arms still around me. Katy starts babbling again...or maybe she never stopped? and the room begins to...

"Oh no," a voice says behind me right before I cough and black bile erupts from my mouth.

"Kat..." I reach for her and for a second I catch a glimpse of terror in her eyes.

**x-x-x-x-x**

_Daemon!_ Dee shrieks as she flies through the door and drops besides me, _What's wrong with him?_

Her hands shoot out, glowing with a healing light but she hesitates, unsure of where to direct it. At least, I assume that's what's given her pause as it's what stopped me from trying in the first place.

"Daemon?" I say quietly, but the Luxen in my arms doesn't respond. His human form fades and both Dee and I gasp. His light is so weak.

But he's not fading or Katy would...should...and she isn't showing any indication of that happening. If anything she's acting like an energizer bunny on speed. She may be saying something but the rate at which the words are being produced has rendered them unintelligible.

_Daemon!_ Dawson is the next through the door with Beth and Andrew on his heels.

I glance over at Katy, nervous as to how she's going to react to all these people so close. My worry is unfounded though as she seemingly hasn't even noticed everyone else. Still, it's probably best not to press our luck.

"Help me get him out of here," I start to pull Daemon up, gesturing to the others to assist. The words are barely out of my mouth when Daemon's eyes fly open and he jerks from my grasp.

_No!_, He rasps, more black bile leaking from his mouth as his human form slides back into place, though it flickers on occasion, "No!"

His eyes burn brightly, feverishly, as he pulls himself towards Katy. Silence descends on the room as Daemon's movements put an end to Katy's noise. Tears stream down her face but her eyes remain locked on Daemon's as he slowly drags himself towards her.

"Kat," his voice cracks as he reaches for her. His fingers brush her cheek and with a gasp he collapses against her shoulder, his face buried in her neck as his arms clutch her to him.

Katy's eyes open wide at the contact and her entire body trembles but she doesn't pull away. For a moment I feel like an intruder watching such an obviously intimate moment between the two of them. That moment nearly passes as Katy stiffens and she opens her mouth. I can almost hear the coming scream already but, as if reading her mind, Daemon's lips capture hers, silencing the scream before it's born.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"She's going to be ok now...right?" I ask the Hybrid, though my eyes don't leave my daughter where she sits, wrapped in her...husband's...embrace. I suppose it will still take some getting used to...wrapping my head around the fact that my little girl is technically married...even though I've known for years now. Knowing, however, and seeing are two vastly different things.

"Hardly," the boy shakes his head, "I'd hoped that would be the case but clearly I was wrong."

"What do you mean?" Matthew asks.

"Daedalus was trying to create a hybrid with the powers of both the Luxen and the Arum. They succeeded, clearly, but there were some very...unpleasant side effects as you well know."

"But she's with Daemon again so those should go away now," I want it to be true but right now the look on my daughter's face...not even when her father died did she look so defeated.

"Like I said, I hoped that would be the case but with Daemon as weak as he is it won't happen," the Hybrid shakes his head again "it can't happen."

"So once he gets better..." I start.

"He won't get better because it's his wife making him sick."

"What?" Both Matthew and I say at the same time.

"As a Hybrid your daughter has essentially become a Luxen but Daedalus changed her so that she's part Arum as well. The two energies within her are fighting for dominance; her body is trying to destroy itself and the result is it's driving her insane. Daemon has been unconsciously siphoning some of the Arum energy away using their bond and taking it upon himself. It's killing him though and eventually his body will put a stop to it to save itself. When that happens your daughter's mind is going to be overwhelmed...destroyed and we'll be left with an incredibly powerful creature whose one driving instinct will be survival."

"Well how do we stop that?" I cry, "We have to stop it!"

For a long time the Hybrid is silent and he refuses to look at me.

"Well?" Demands Matthew.

"There is only one way to stop this from happening," the Hybrid says quietly, "Katy and Daemon must die."


End file.
